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3 - Flammable liquid
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CAS Number UN/NA Number
  • 75-07-0   (ACETALDEHYDE)
DOT Hazard Label USCG CHRIS Code
  • Flammable Liquid
NIOSH Pocket Guide International Chem Safety Card
Acetaldehydeexternal link
NFPA 704
Diamond Hazard Value Description
2 2
Blue Health 2 Can cause temporary incapacitation or residual injury.
White Special
(NFPA, 2010)
General Description
A clear colorless liquid with a pungent choking odor. Flash point -36°F. Boiling point 69°F. Density 6.5 lb / gal. Vapors are heaver than air and irritate the mucous membranes and especially the eyes. Used to make other chemicals.

Reactivity Alerts
  • Highly Flammable
  • Polymerizable
  • Peroxidizable Compound
Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable. Easily oxidized by air to form unstable peroxides which may explode. Forms explosive mixture with air above 100°C (30-60% of the vapor in air) owing to formation of peroxyacetic acid [White, A. G. et al., J. Soc. Chem. Ind., 1950, 69, p. 206]. Soluble in water.
Fire Hazard
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Produces irritating vapor when heated

Behavior in Fire: Vapors are heavier than air and may travel a considerable distance to a source of ignition and flash back. (USCG, 1999)
Health Hazard
Breathing vapors will be irritating and may cause nausea, vomiting, headache, and unconsciousness. Contact with eyes may cause burns and eye damage. Skin contact from clothing wet with the chemical causes burns or severe irritation. (USCG, 1999)
Reactivity Profile
ACETALDEHYDE undergoes a vigorously exothermic condensation reaction in contact with strong acids, bases or traces of metals. Can react vigorously with oxidizing reagents such as dinitrogen pentaoxide, hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, silver nitrate, etc. Contamination often leads either to reaction with the contaminant or polymerization, both with the evolution of heat. Can react violently with acid anhydrides, alcohols, ketones, phenols, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, halogens, phosphorus, isocyanates, concentrated sulfuric acid, and aliphatic amines. Reactions with cobalt chloride, mercury(II) chlorate or perchlorate form sensitive, explosive products [Sax, 9th ed., 1996, p. 5]. An oxygenation reaction of acetaldehyde in the presence of cobalt acetate at -20°C exploded violently when stirred. The event was ascribed to peroxyacetate formation [Phillips B. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1957, 79, p. 5982].
Belongs to the Following Reactive Group(s)
Potentially Incompatible Absorbents


  • Cellulose-Based Absorbents
  • Mineral-Based & Clay-Based Absorbents
  • Dirt/Earth

Isolation and Evacuation
Excerpt from ERG Guide 129P [Flammable Liquids (Water-Miscible / Noxious)]:





SMALL FIRE: Dry chemical, CO2, water spray or alcohol-resistant foam. Do not use dry chemical extinguishers to control fires involving nitromethane (UN1261) or nitroethane (UN2842).


Non-Fire Response


Protective Clothing
Skin: Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact.

Eyes: Wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye contact.


Remove: Work clothing that becomes wet should be immediately removed due to its flammability hazard(i.e. for liquids with flash point < 100°F)


DuPont Tychem® Suit Fabrics
Tychem® Fabric Legend
QS = Tychem 2000 SFR
QC = Tychem 2000
SL = Tychem 4000
C3 = Tychem 5000
TF = Tychem 6000
TP = Tychem 6000 FR
BR = Tychem 9000
TK = Tychem 10000
RF = Tychem 10000 FR
Testing Details
The fabric permeation data was generated for DuPont by independent testing laboratories using ASTM F739, EN369, EN 374-3, EN ISO 6529 (method A and B) or ASTM D6978 test methods. Normalized breakthrough times (the time at which the permeation rate is equal to 0.1 µg/cm2/min) reported in minutes. All liquid chemicals have been tested between approximately 20°C and 27°C unless otherwise stated. A different temperature may have significant influence on the breakthrough time; permeation rates typically increase with temperature. All chemicals have been tested at a concentration of greater than 95% unless otherwise stated. Unless otherwise stated, permeation was measured for single chemicals. The permeation characteristics of mixtures can deviate considerably from the permeation behavior of the individual chemicals. Chemical warfare agents (Lewisite, Sarin, Soman, Sulfur Mustard, Tabun and VX Nerve Agent) have been tested at 22°C and 50% relative humidity per military standard MIL-STD-282.
Normalized Breakthrough Times (in Minutes)
Chemical CAS Number State QS QC SL C3 TF TP BR RC TK RF
Acetaldehyde (>95%) 75-07-0 Liquid imm. >480 >480 >480 >480 >480
> indicates greater than.
"imm." indicates immediate; having a normalized breakthrough time of 10 minutes or less.

Special Warnings from DuPont


(DuPont, 2018)

First Aid



INGESTION: DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. Volatile chemicals have a high risk of being aspirated into the victim's lungs during vomiting which increases the medical problems. If the victim is conscious and not convulsing, give 1 or 2 glasses of water to dilute the chemical and IMMEDIATELY call a hospital or poison control center. IMMEDIATELY transport the victim to a hospital. If the victim is convulsing or unconscious, do not give anything by mouth, ensure that the victim's airway is open and lay the victim on his/her side with the head lower than the body. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. IMMEDIATELY transport the victim to a hospital.


Chemical Formula:
  • C2H4O
Flash Point: -40 ° F (NTP, 1992)
Lower Explosive Limit (LEL): 4 % (NTP, 1992)
Upper Explosive Limit (UEL): 57 % (NTP, 1992)
Autoignition Temperature: 365° F; 300° F; 347° F (USCG, 1999)
Melting Point: -190.3 ° F (NTP, 1992)
Vapor Pressure: 400 mm Hg at 40.8 ° F ; 760 mm Hg at 68.4° F (NTP, 1992)
Vapor Density (Relative to Air): 1.52 (NTP, 1992)
Specific Gravity: 0.78 at 68 ° F (USCG, 1999)
Boiling Point: 70 ° F at 760 mm Hg (NTP, 1992)
Molecular Weight: 44.06 (NTP, 1992)
Water Solubility: 0.1 to 1.0 mg/mL at 66° F (NTP, 1992)
Ionization Potential: 10.22 eV (NIOSH, 2016)
IDLH: 2000 ppm ; A potential occupational carcinogen. (NIOSH, 2016)

AEGLs (Acute Exposure Guideline Levels)

Interim AEGLs for Acetaldehyde (75-07-0)
Exposure Period AEGL-1 AEGL-2 AEGL-3
10 minutes 45 ppm 340 ppm 1100 ppm
30 minutes 45 ppm 340 ppm 1100 ppm
60 minutes 45 ppm 270 ppm 840 ppm
4 hours 45 ppm 170 ppm 530 ppm
8 hours 45 ppm 110 ppm 260 ppm
Level of Distinct Odor Awareness (LOA) = 0.56 ppm
(NAC/NRC, 2017)

ERPGs (Emergency Response Planning Guidelines)

Chemical ERPG-1 ERPG-2 ERPG-3
Acetaldehyde (75-07-0) 10 ppm star-in-circle icon indicates that odor should be detectable near ERPG-1. 200 ppm 1000 ppm
(AIHA, 2016)

PACs (Protective Action Criteria)

Chemical PAC-1 PAC-2 PAC-3
Acetaldehyde (75-07-0) 45 ppm 270 ppm 840 ppm LEL = 40000 ppm
(DOE, 2016)


EPA Consolidated List of Lists

Regulatory Name CAS Number/
313 Category Code
CAA 112(r)
Acetaldehyde 75-07-0 1000 pounds 313 U001 10000 pounds

(EPA List of Lists, 2015)

DHS Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS)

Chemical of Interest CAS Number Min Conc STQ Security
Min Conc STQ Security
Min Conc STQ Security
Acetaldehyde 75-07-0 1.00 % 10000 pounds flammable

(DHS, 2007)

OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard List

Chemical Name CAS Number Threshold Quantity (TQ)
Acetaldehyde 75-07-0 2500 pounds

(OSHA, 2011)

  • NCI-C56326

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