© 2026 Nanjing Finechem Holdings Co., Ltd,
All Right Reserved
Chemical Name: Ethyl Formate
Common Uses: Widely used as a flavoring agent, solvent for cellulose nitrate, and in the production of pharmaceuticals. Its fruity odor pops up in artificial flavoring and fragrance formulations, but on the industrial side, it’s handled in much larger volumes, meaning risk goes beyond a whiff.
CAS Number: 109-94-4
Description: Colorless liquid with strong, rum-like or brandy-like fragrance. Volatile, catches fire easily, and vaporizes quickly at room temperature unless sealed up tight.
Health Risks: Breathing in the vapor makes throats raw, lungs irritated, and eyes burn. Prolonged exposure leads to headaches, dizziness, or even passing out. Splash on skin, see it dry, sting, and maybe even blister. Long-term exposure carries risk for organ irritation—lungs can take a hit most quickly.
Flammability: Highly flammable liquid and vapor. Sparks, flames, or even warm machinery can light it up, so fire safety isn’t just bureaucracy here.
Environmental Hazard: Harmful to aquatic life if big spills reach drains or waterways. The vapor travels along surfaces, so ignition sources don’t need to be right next to a spill.
Synonyms: Ethyl methanoate, Formic acid ethyl ester
Purity: Often close to 99% when bought for industrial or laboratory use. Unwanted chemicals rarely top 1% unless the supplier is dodgy.
Key Impurities: Formic acid, Ethanol, Water. If impurities climb, hazard profile changes—corrosion, combustion, and health risks pile up.
Inhalation: Get to fresh air, open up airways—if someone’s struggling, medical help should move fast. Oxygen helps, but always judge whether you’re safe to approach.
Skin Contact: Pull off contaminated clothes, wash thoroughly with soap and water. Sometimes skin damage needs a trip to the clinic.
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes right away with gentle water for at least 15 minutes. Don’t rub—call for medical help if symptoms stick around.
Ingestion: Rinse out mouth, never force vomiting unless a health pro says so. Get medical advice without wasting time.
Suits and Gear: Firefighters need self-contained breathing apparatus and full protective clothing because the fumes burn nose and lungs on contact.
Extinguishing Media: Use foam, dry chemical, or carbon dioxide. Water spray cools containers and limits vapor, but direct jets can spread liquid and vapor.
Combustion Hazards: Burns to form toxic gases including carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Windows open, exhaust systems on—ventilation saves lives.
Special Risks: Sealed containers heated by fire might burst, shooting flaming liquid or vapor.
Personal Precautions: Move quickly, avoid breath-holding heroics. Evacuate people from the area, ventilate if indoors. Suit up—gloves, goggles, respirator—all needed to keep safe.
Clean Up Methods: Soak up with sand or non-combustible absorbent, then scoop into sealed container. Never hose down with water unless there’s a plan to trap runoff.
Environmental Precautions: Stop leaks before they crawl into drains or natural water. Notify environmental authorities if seepage looks serious.
Storage Conditions: Store in a cool, well-ventilated spot, away from flame sources, sunlight, and static. Keep container tightly closed—ethyl formate evaporates with surprising ease if forgotten.
Handling Instructions: Use only with proper ventilation and don’t let fumes build up, even in a storeroom. Static discharge risks need grounding, and proper bonding between containers while transferring.
Recommended Exposure Limits: Regulatory agencies have set occupational exposure limits, sometimes as low as 10 ppm, which should be checked on official listings for updates.
Engineering Controls: Fume hoods, exhaust fans, closed systems all keep vapor down to safe levels. Open air rarely gives enough protection when large-scale handling comes into play.
Personal Gear: Gloves made from nitrile, neoprene, or PVC stop blisters and chemical burns. Tight goggles or face shields protect eyes. Respirators are serious business if ventilation alone can’t keep vapors in check.
Hygiene Measures: Wash up thoroughly after handling, change out contaminated gear, and keep food or drink away during work.
Appearance: Clear, colorless liquid
Odor: Strong, fruity and rum-like
Boiling Point: About 54°C (129°F)
Melting Point: About -80°C (-112°F)
Vapor Pressure: High at room temperature—leads to rapid volatilization
Solubility: Mixes well with alcohol, ether, water
Density: About 0.917 g/cm³
Flash Point: Close to -17°C (1°F)
Chemical Stability: Stable under normal, dry, cool conditions but reacts with bases, acids, and oxidizers. Anyone mixing or blending chemicals needs to watch for unexpected fizzing or heat.
Hazardous Decomposition: At high temps or flames, breaks down quickly to form carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and sometimes formic acid.
Incompatibility: Reacts quickly with strong oxidizers and strong acids—results can be violent or even explosive.
Routes of Entry: Inhalation, skin, eyes, mouth.
Symptoms of Overexposure: Cough, shortness of breath, dizziness, drowsiness, and headache. Direct splashes on skin or in eyes cause classic chemical burn pain.
Chronic Risk: Extended exposure to vapor increases risk for respiratory system irritation and possible damage, some sources flag liver risks.
Acute Toxicity: Relatively low compared to many solvents, but fatalities have happened from large, direct exposure.
Aquatic Impact: Spills into water can knock out small aquatic life fast and disrupt biological treatment systems at wastewater plants because bacteria that break down waste can get stunned by solvent exposure.
Environmental Fate: Volatile and biodegradable, but breaks down slower in cold or stagnant water. Slowly builds up in soil near chronic leaks.
Bioaccumulation: Tends not to hang around in animal tissues, so long-term global contamination is less of a concern, but repeated spills wreak local havoc.
Recommended Methods: Burn in a chemical incinerator with afterburner and scrubber. Home dumping is not safe—contaminates groundwater and air.
Regulatory Notes: Classified as hazardous waste in many countries, so proper permits and handling must go through a regulated waste management contractor. Never mix with ordinary trash or pour into public sewage.
Shipping Name: Flammable liquid, often falls under Class 3 by transport codes.
Packing Group: Based on risk—usually II or III for moderate hazard.
Special Precautions: Keep containers upright and sealed, limit rough handling during loading and unloading. Mark vehicles with flammable liquid placards, and train drivers for emergency leaks or spills en route.
International Standards: Listed as a hazardous material under global conventions including shipping codes for dangerous goods and workplace safety rules by regulatory agencies.
Workplace Regulations: Employers must train staff in proper handling, spill control, and first aid. Safety Data Sheets must be available at all times.
Environmental Rules: Many countries have controls on air and water releases—companies often need permits for use and discharge.
