Safety data reference
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) — Safety Data Summary
- CAS67-63-0
- EC200-661-7
- FormulaC3H8O — (CH3)2CHOH
- MW60.10 g/mol
Read this before you use this page
This is a general reference summary for Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA), compiled from publicly published authoritative sources — PubChem, the NIOSH Pocket Guide, ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards, CAMEO Chemicals, the ECHA C&L Inventory, OSHA and the eCFR. Every figure on this page is traceable to one of the sources listed at the foot of the page.
It is not a supplier safety data sheet and must not be used as one. A compliant SDS is batch-specific and manufacturer-specific: it carries the actual supplier identity, emergency contact, product identifier, grade, impurity profile and the classification that follows from them. Before you accept, store, handle or ship any consignment, obtain the manufacturer’s own signed SDS for that grade and lot.
01Hazard identification
Classification: Flammable liquids, Category 2 · Serious eye irritation, Category 2 · STOT single exposure, Category 3 (narcotic effects)
Pictograms: GHS02 Flame · GHS07 Exclamation mark
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour.
- H319 Causes serious eye irritation.
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness.
Identification
| IUPAC name | propan-2-ol |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | Isopropanol, 2-propanol, IPA, dimethyl carbinol, sec-propyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol |
| CAS number | 67-63-0 |
| EC number | 200-661-7 |
| Molecular formula | C3H8O — (CH3)2CHOH |
| Molecular weight | 60.10 g/mol |
02Precautionary statements
Prevention
- P210 Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
- P233 Keep container tightly closed.
- P240 Ground and bond container and receiving equipment.
- P241 Use explosion-proof electrical, ventilating and lighting equipment.
- P242 Use non-sparking tools.
- P243 Take action to prevent static discharges.
- P261 Avoid breathing vapours.
- P264+P265 Wash hands thoroughly after handling. Do not touch eyes.
- P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- P280 Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and face protection.
Response
- P303+P361+P353 IF ON SKIN (or hair): Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water or shower.
- P304+P340 IF INHALED: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing.
- P305+P351+P338 IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
- P319 Get medical help if you feel unwell.
- P337+P317 If eye irritation persists: Get medical help.
- P370+P378 In case of fire: Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide to extinguish.
Storage
- P403+P233 Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
- P403+P235 Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep cool.
- P405 Store locked up.
Disposal
- P501 Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local, regional and national regulations.
03Physical and chemical properties
| Appearance | Colourless, volatile liquid |
|---|---|
| Odour | Rubbing-alcohol odour; sharp, musty, alcoholic |
| Odour threshold | 7.84–490 mg/m3 |
| Melting point | −87.9 °C |
| Boiling point | 82.3 °C at 760 mmHg |
| Flash point | 12 °C (closed cup) |
| Auto-ignition | 399 °C |
| Explosive limits | LEL 2.0% · UEL 12.7% v/v |
| Vapour pressure | 33 mmHg at 20 °C |
| Vapour density | 2.07 (air = 1) |
| Relative density | 0.785 at 20 °C |
| Water solubility | Miscible / infinitely soluble at 25 °C |
| log Kow | 0.05 |
| Viscosity | 2.038 mPa·s at 25 °C |
| pH | Not applicable (non-aqueous organic liquid) |
| Decomposition temp. | Not established; decomposes on heating |
04Exposure controls and occupational limits
| OSHA PEL | 400 ppm (980 mg/m3), 8-hour TWA |
|---|---|
| NIOSH REL | 400 ppm (980 mg/m3) 10-hour TWA; STEL 500 ppm (1225 mg/m3), 15 min |
| ACGIH TLV | 200 ppm TWA; 400 ppm 15-min STEL; A4 notation |
| NIOSH IDLH | 2000 ppm (based on 10% of the LEL) |
| ACGIH BEI | Acetone in urine, 40 mg/L, end of shift at end of workweek |
05First-aid measures
- Inhalation
- Leave the contaminated area immediately for fresh air. Provide respiratory support. Use SCBA if symptoms develop. Get medical attention.
- Skin contact
- Flood the affected area with water while removing contaminated clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water.
- Eye contact
- Irrigate immediately. Flush with water or normal saline for 20–30 minutes. Remove contact lenses if present. Get medical attention immediately.
- Ingestion
- Do NOT induce vomiting. If conscious, give one to two glasses of water. Get medical attention immediately.
06Fire-fighting measures
- Suitable extinguishing media
- Small fires: dry chemical, carbon dioxide, water spray, alcohol-resistant foam. Large fires: water spray, fog or alcohol-resistant foam.
- Unsuitable media
- Solid (straight) water streams, which may scatter and spread the fire. Ordinary non-alcohol-resistant foam is ineffective on water-miscible alcohols.
- Specific hazards
- Easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. Vapours form explosive mixtures with air. Vapour is heavier than air, collects in low areas and can flash back along a vapour trail. Vapour explosion hazard in confined spaces. Peroxidisable compound.
- Protective equipment
- Self-contained breathing apparatus with full protective clothing. Cool containers with flooding quantities of water.
- ERG guide
- Guide 129 (Flammable liquids — water-miscible/noxious)
07Accidental release measures
- Personal precautions
- Ensure adequate ventilation. Keep people away and upwind. Remove all ignition sources and watch for flashback. Ground all equipment, use spark-proof tools and explosion-proof equipment. Take precautions against static discharge. Use an organic-vapour filter respirator matched to the airborne concentration.
- Environmental precautions
- Prevent further leakage. Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas. Dike far ahead of a liquid spill.
- Containment and clean-up
- Collect leaking or spilled liquid in sealable non-plastic containers. Absorb residue with inert material such as vermiculite, dry sand or earth and place in a suitable chemical waste container. Water spray or vapour-suppressing foam may reduce vapours in a large spill, though it may not prevent ignition in closed spaces. Wash away the remainder with plenty of water.
- ERG isolation distances
- Small spill: isolate 50 m (150 ft). Large spill: evacuate 300 m (1000 ft) downwind. Fire: isolate or evacuate 800 m (half a mile).
08Handling and storage
- Safe handling
- Keep sparks, flames and other ignition sources away. Avoid breathing vapour. Keep upwind. Any clothing wet with isopropyl alcohol must be removed immediately and not reworn until decontaminated, and stored in closed containers until cleaned or discarded. Wash off any material contacting the body with copious water or soap and water.
- Safe storage
- Fireproof storage. Cool, well-closed, dry and well-ventilated. Store at room temperature in the original container. The substance is sensitive to light, so use light-resistant containers. Keep in a segregated and approved area away from heat and ignition sources, separated from strong oxidants.
- Incompatible materials
- Strong oxidisers, acetaldehyde, chlorine, ethylene oxide, acids and isocyanates. Also acid anhydrides, halogens, aluminium, barium perchlorate, dioxygenyl tetrafluoroborate, chromium trioxide, potassium tert-butoxide, trinitromethane and hydrogen peroxide. Use caution with cellulose-based absorbents. Attacks some plastics and rubber.
09Stability and reactivity
- Reactivity
- Highly flammable and water-soluble. A Group B peroxide former — it forms dangerously unstable peroxides on contact with air or oxygen, and contact with 2-butanone accelerates peroxide formation.
- Chemical stability
- Stable under normal conditions. NFPA instability rating 0. Decomposes on heating and is light-sensitive.
- Hazardous reactions
- Explosive mixtures with trinitromethane, and with hydrogen peroxide comparable in power and sensitivity to glyceryl nitrate. Reacts with barium perchlorate to form highly explosive propyl perchlorate. Violent explosions have been reported during distillation of stored or recovered isopropanol because of accumulated peroxides.
- Conditions to avoid
- Heat, sparks, open flames, hot surfaces, static discharge, prolonged storage in partially full clear containers exposed to daylight (peroxide formation), and confined spaces.
- Decomposition products
- Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Acrid smoke and fumes on decomposition; irritating fumes plus flammable and toxic gas on heating.
10Toxicological information
| LD50 oral, rat | 5,045 mg/kg (ChemIDplus); 5,840 mg/kg (ECHA IUCLID) |
|---|---|
| LD50 dermal, rabbit | 12,800 mg/kg |
| LC50 inhalation, rat | 72.6 mg/L / 4 h; also 51.045 mg/L / 8 h |
| Routes of exposure | Inhalation, ingestion, skin and eye contact |
| Symptoms | Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; drowsiness, dizziness, headache; dry, cracking skin; anaesthetic effect at high concentration; ingestion causes intoxication and vomiting; the liquid irritates and may injure the eye |
| Target organs | Eyes, skin, respiratory system |
| IARC | Group 3 — not classifiable as to carcinogenicity to humans |
| NTP | Not listed in the Report on Carcinogens |
| OSHA | Not regulated as a carcinogen |
| Other | ACGIH A4 |
11Ecological information
| LC50 fish | No authoritative value located |
|---|---|
| EC50 Daphnia magna | 24 h EC50 approx. 6,850 mg/L (114 mM), immobilisation |
| Other aquatic | Crangon crangon 48 h LC50 1,400 mg/L |
| Biodegradability | Readily biodegradable — 86% of theoretical BOD in 2 weeks (MITI); 78% ThOD in 20 days with filtered sewage seed |
| Bioaccumulation | Low — estimated BCF 3 |
| Mobility in soil | Very high — estimated Koc 1.5 |
12Transport information
| UN number | UN 1219 |
|---|---|
| Proper shipping name | Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol) |
| Transport hazard class | 3 — Flammable liquid |
| Packing group | II |
| Marine pollutant | No — not listed in 49 CFR 172.101 Appendix B |
| ERG guide | 129 |
| DOT / IATA / IMDG | Identical UN 1219, Class 3, PG II across all modes |
13Regulatory information
| TSCA | Listed on the TSCA Inventory |
|---|---|
| SARA 313 (TRI) | Listed with a qualifier — reportable only by persons who manufacture isopropyl alcohol by the strong acid process. Facilities that process or otherwise use it are not covered |
| California Prop 65 | Not listed |
| EU REACH | Registered substance |
| CERCLA RQ | None assigned |
| RCRA | No listed waste code assigned |
Frequently asked questions
Is isopropyl alcohol classed as a dangerous good?
Yes. IPA ships as UN 1219, Class 3 flammable liquid, packing group II, across DOT, IATA and IMDG. Its 12 °C flash point puts it firmly in the flammable band, and air freight limits are 1 L per package on passenger aircraft and 30 L on cargo aircraft.
What is the difference between 99.9% IPA and rubbing alcohol?
Rubbing alcohol is typically 70% isopropanol in water, often with denaturants and additives. 99.9% IPA is an anhydrous industrial and electronics grade with essentially no water. The distinction matters in practice: 70% is the more effective disinfectant because water helps the alcohol penetrate cell walls, while 99.9% is used where residual water would cause corrosion, haze or drying faults.
Why is IPA a peroxide former?
As a secondary alcohol, isopropanol slowly reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form unstable peroxides, particularly in partly full containers exposed to light. The peroxides concentrate during distillation and have caused explosions. Date containers on receipt and on opening, and do not distil old or recovered stock without testing for peroxides.
What are the exposure limits for isopropyl alcohol?
The OSHA PEL is 400 ppm as an 8-hour TWA. NIOSH sets the same 400 ppm REL with a 500 ppm 15-minute STEL, while ACGIH is more conservative at 200 ppm TWA and 400 ppm STEL. The IDLH is 2000 ppm, set at 10% of the lower explosive limit rather than on toxicity.
How should IPA be stored?
In a fireproof, cool, dry and well-ventilated area in tightly closed original containers, ideally light-resistant because IPA is light-sensitive and light accelerates peroxide formation. Keep separated from strong oxidants, and ground and bond during transfer.
Supply
We supply Isopropyl Alcohol 99.9% (IPA) in bulk from Chinese manufacturing plants, with a batch certificate of analysis and the manufacturer’s signed safety data sheet shipped against every consignment. Tell us the grade, volume and destination port and we will come back with packing options, lead time and a delivered price.
Sources
Every value on this page was taken from one of the following public authorities. Where an authority records no verified value, this page says so rather than substituting an estimate.
- PubChem — National Library of Medicine
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
- ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards
- CAMEO Chemicals — NOAA
- ECHA Classification & Labelling Inventory
- OSHA Annotated Permissible Exposure Limits
- eCFR Title 49 §172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
Compiled September 2026. Regulatory lists and classifications change; verify against the current source text before relying on this page for a compliance decision.