© 2026 Nanjing Finechem Holdings Co., Ltd,
All Right Reserved
Product Name: 4-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid
Chemical Formula: C8H7ClO3
Common Uses: Main role seen in agriculture as a plant growth regulator and herbicide, gaining ground in research labs as a tool for investigating plant hormone interactions. Its singular niche in controlling broadleaf weeds, especially in cereal crops, roots decades of usage. On the shelves, it takes the form of a crystalline powder, usually off-white, often found among agricultural chemicals rather than household supplies. Market labels may reference it as 4-CPA, especially in chemical literature. An understanding of its purchase context shapes respect for storage and handling priorities, particularly outside commercial agriculture.
Hazard Class: Acute toxicity risk through ingestion, corneal injury with direct eye contact, skin irritation for sensitive users.
Signal Words: Warning labels typically cite both "Harmful" and "Irritant".
Potential Health Effects: Human exposure stories echo similar threads: direct skin contact leads to redness, burning, and sometime blistering; swallowing brings on nausea and abdominal discomfort; inhaling unset dust, which happens easily at handling bulk dry material, can create respiratory irritation or a dry cough. Eye splashes stand out as a common workplace mishap, producing immediate stinging and blurred vision.
Environmental Hazards: Field runoff stirs concern for aquatic toxicity, especially in smaller streams. Proximity to intensive use sites, such as greenhouses or treated fields, sometimes raises alarms about animal drinking water affected by runoff.
Chemical Name: 4-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid
Pureness: Most preparations are greater than 95% pure; impurities, such as unreacted precursors or by-products from manufacturing, rarely go beyond low percent ranges.
CAS Number: 122-88-3
Major Component: 4-CPA forms the base, with minor organic contaminants possibly present if the source is not high-purity lab-grade material.
Skin Contact: Wash thoroughly with water and soap, scrubbing under nails and around cuffs where particles may lodge; those with allergies should seek medical evaluation to rule out lasting dermatitis.
Eye Contact: Rinse immediately using a steady stream of water for at least fifteen minutes, holding eyelids apart, and seeking medical care without delay especially if vision remains blurred or burning continues.
Inhalation: Remove individual to fresh air; persistent cough, chest discomfort, or breathing difficulties are warning signs for medical attention.
Ingestion: Encourage rinsing of mouth with water; avoid inducing vomiting unless health authorities advise; report large ingestions promptly.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Dry chemical powder, carbon dioxide, or foam work best. Larger fires might involve sand.
Hazardous Combustion Products: Toxic fumes, including hydrogen chloride, carbon oxides, and related phenolic compounds.
Firefighting Approach: Those working fire suppression must wear full respiratory protection and chemical-resistant clothing, recalling lessons from incidents where chemical smoke injuries surpassed fire-related burns.
Fire/Explosion Risk: The powder, by itself, poses low flammability at ambient temperatures, but given the fine particulate, risks of flash fire exist when dispersed as dust—several reports highlight the dangers of cleaning up powder spills rapidly with brooms rather than using low-speed, wet methods.
Personal Protective Equipment: Gloves and goggles; a fitted dust mask or respirator for powder spills in enclosed areas.
Spill Response: Sweep up carefully, dampening with water to minimize dust; deposit in a closed container for licensed disposal.
Environmental Precautions: Prevent runoff to storm drains or open waterways; improper disposal highlights how herbicides enter aquatic environments, triggering local ecosystem disruption.
Safe Handling: Mix and transfer using sealed systems whenever possible; avoid splashing or tossing powder into the air during preparation or mixing; hands-off approaches cut down allergic skin reactions among workers.
Storage Requirements: Store in tightly closed, labeled containers in a well-ventilated, cool, and dry area, far from strong acids or oxidizers; packaging integrity matters for long-term stocks.
Incompatibilities: Strong bases, acids, and oxidizers accelerate degradation or trigger dangerous emissions.
Engineering Controls: Local exhaust ventilation for open handling or weighing; monitored batch operations reduce airborne dust.
Personal Protection: Use nitrile gloves, long sleeves, chemical goggles, and, where possible, face shield protection for splash or dust-prone tasks.
Workplace Hazards: Operators recount skin rashes tied to poor-fitting gloves or forearm contact, reinforcing proper personal protective equipment choice.
Workplace Monitoring: Periodic air sampling for dust in manufacturing or mixing sheds informs both acute and chronic exposure risk.
Appearance: Crystalline powder, off-white to faintly yellow, known to clump in humidity.
Odor: Mild, slightly aromatic chemical scent in unadulterated form.
Melting Point: About 154–156°C
Solubility: Moderately soluble in water, highly soluble in organic solvents like ethanol.
Vapor Pressure: Negligible at room temperature; powder form poses low volatility, but airborne exposure comes from disturbance.
Other Properties: Stable in dry air, gradually hydrolyzes under prolonged wet or acidic conditions; static charge risk noted during rapid bulk handling.
Chemical Stability: Stable under normal ambient conditions, more prone to decomposition in persistent light or moisture.
Incompatible Materials: Strong acids, oxidizers, and bases; contact may create heat and noxious vapor escape.
Decomposition Risks: Generates toxic fumes, including hydrogen chloride and phenolic compounds, if burned or allowed to decompose at high temperature.
Routes of Exposure: Oral, dermal, ocular, and inhalation.
Acute Toxicity: Laboratory data places oral LD50 for rats in the range of 900–1,300 mg/kg; milder on skin but still an irritant, based on dose and contact time.
Chronic Effects: Long-term experience lacks strong human evidence for cancer or systemic nerve effects, but repeated skin exposure produces recurring dermatitis; animal studies raise long-term organ impact at repeated high doses.
Other Effects: Allergic skin reactions appear more common for those with preexisting sensitivities to related phenoxy herbicides; anecdotal reports of mild headaches or nausea in some agricultural workers handling open powders.
Aquatic Toxicity: Harmful to fish and invertebrates at moderate concentrations; even trace runoff from treated fields has shown short-term impacts on aquatic vegetation and water organisms, especially in pond and stream settings.
Soil Mobility: Moves moderately in soil, with possibility for leaching during heavy rainfall; persistence in soils sits in the range of weeks to months, raising concerns for sensitive crops in rotation systems.
Breakdown: Degrades mainly through microbial pathways in moist soils, but rate drops markedly in cold climates or compacted soils.
Disposal Approach: Bring together spill residues and contaminated packaging in labeled, sealed containers; treat as hazardous waste at a specialized facility. Burning must never occur in open sites due to toxic byproducts.
Environmental Stewardship: Improper site dumping contributes to persistent chemical buildup near farming communities; many regulatory fines stem from accidental or intentional drainage into surface water.
UN Numbers/Transport Class: Regarded as a hazardous material under various national road, rail, and sea shipment regulations; bulk shipments require clear hazard labeling.
Packaging: Drums and bags must be sealed against mechanical damage or leaks; stories circulate about accidental punctures during forklifting, emphasizing proper handling.
Vehicle Concerns: Keep segregated from food items and animal feeds during transport, as small leaks have ruined cargoes through cross-contamination.
Occupational Controls: Most regions hold strict worker protection standards; legal requirements for gloves, eye protection, and training on chemical handling are customary.
Environmental Controls: Field application faces restrictions near water bodies and limits on use rates; monitoring of residue levels in water and food crops is routine for regulatory compliance.
Documentation: Pesticide registration authorities, including federal and state agencies, require ongoing reporting and periodic safety reviews when new studies highlight risks.
