Chemical Sampling Information
	Methyl acetate
Quick Links General Description Exposure Limits Health Factors Monitoring Search    [use word(s)/phrase] Table of Contents By Name A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z By CAS Number General Description Synonyms: Acetic acid, methyl ester; Methyl acetic ester; Methyl ethanoate OSHA IMIS Code Number: 1650 Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 79-20-9 NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: AI9100000 Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1231 129 [27 KB, PDF] NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Methyl acetate: chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more Exposure Limits OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 200 ppm, 610 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 200 ppm, 610 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 200 ppm, 610 mg/m3 TWA American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 200 ppm, 606 mg/m3 TWA; 250 ppm, 757 mg/m3 STEL National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 200 ppm, 610 mg/m3 TWA; 250 ppm, 760 mg/m3 STEL Health Factors NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 3,100 ppm Potential symptoms: Nose, throat irritation; headache; drowsiness; blurred vision, optic nerve atrophy; sore throat, cough, chest tightness, labored breathing; dry, red, rough skin (from contact with liquid); in animals: narcosis; INGES. ACUTE: Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness. Health Effects: Irritation- Eye, Nose, Throat, Skin---Mild (HE16); Narcosis (HE8); CNS effects (HE7) Affected organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, CNS Notes: Vapor/air mixtures of methyl acetate may be explosive. NIOSH’s IDLH for methyl acetate equals 10% of the lower explosive level. Methyl acetate is listed among FDA’s “food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption” (21 CFR 172.515). Methyl acetate is hydrolyzed by esterase activity to methanol and acetic acid. Methanol can be detected in exhaled air within the first minute of methyl acetate inhalation, indicating rapid hydrolysis in the respiratory tract. Methanol intoxication can cause headache, dizziness, coma, and optic nerve damage (visual disturbances, blindness). Date Last Revised: 01/05/2007 Literature Basis: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Methyl acetate. International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): Methyl acetate. Kumagai, S., Oda, H., Matsunaga, I, Kosaka, H. and Akasaka, S.: Uptake of 10 polar organic solvents during short-term respiration. Toxicol. Sci. 48(2): 255-263, 1999. Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Methyl Acetate. In, Sittig’s Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 2. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 1512-1514. Monitoring Methods used by OSHA Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method: sampling media: Charcoal Tube (100/50 mg sections, 20/40 mesh) analytical solvent: Carbon Disulfide maximum volume: 10 Liters   maximum flow rate: 0.2 L/min (TWA) maximum volume: 3 Liters   maximum flow rate: 0.2 L/min (STEL) current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FID method reference: NIOSH Analytical Method (NIOSH 1458) method classification: Fully Validated All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine at 202-693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.