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67-56-1: Methanol
Chemical details of Methanol
Chemical Identity
- Preferred Name: Methanol
CASRN: 67-56-1
Substance Class(es) (from SciFinder): Small Molecule- E&H Chemical Class L1: Alcohols ; L2: primary and secondary alcohols
Molecular Structure
HAZARD EVIDENCE
Hazard Tiers
Tier levels(1) Hazard classes(2)
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Open-FF's Compiled Hazard Summary:
Tier 1: Authoritative GHS record of substantial hazard
Tier 2: Expanded perspective
Tier 3: Demonstrated Low Hazard
Tier 4: Data Deficient
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Hazard classes:
CMR: Carcinogen, Mutagen or Reproductive hazard
IHL: Inhalation hazards
ORL: Oral hazards
SKN: Dermal and eye hazards
OGN: Organ and systemic hazards
EDC: Endocrine disruption hazards (note that GHS does not yet have comprehensive classification of EDCs. Therefore, the strongest hazard level in this system is effectively level 2)
ENV: Environmental hazards
Our Tier Summary: Methanol exhibits known hazards (Tier 1) across multiple categories, including carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and reproductive hazards, inhalation, oral, dermal and eye, and organ and systemic toxicity. Additionally, it shows an expanded perspective (Tier 2) for environmental and endocrine disruption hazards, indicating potential concerns beyond formal GHS classifications.
Evidence for Tier levels
(Select category below for more detail)
The overall tier level for Methanol is based on its most severe hazard class(es): - Tier 1
Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, or Reproductive Toxicity - Tier 1
- H351: Suspected of causing cancer (PubChem)
- H360: May damage fertility or the unborn child (ChemInformatics; Japan; PubChem)
Endocrine Disruption - Tier 2
- Endocrine_Disruption: High Hazard (ChemInfoHazard)
Environmental Hazard - Tier 2
- Chronic_Aquatic_Toxicity: Very High Hazard (ChemInfoHazard)
Inhalation Hazard - Tier 1
- H331: Toxic if inhaled (Australia; ChemInformatics; ECHA Harmonized; PubChem)
Oral Hazard - Tier 1
- H301: Toxic if swallowed (Australia; ChemInformatics; ECHA Harmonized; PubChem)
- H302: Harmful if swallowed (ChemInformatics; PubChem)
Dermal/Eye Hazard - Tier 1
- H311: Toxic in contact with skin (Australia; ChemInformatics; ECHA Harmonized; PubChem)
Organ Hazard - Tier 1
- H370: Causes damage to organs (Australia; ChemInformatics; ECHA Harmonized; PubChem)
- H372: Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure (ChemInformatics; PubChem)
Lists of Concern and/or Low Hazard
Methanol is identified on several "Lists of Concern" by agencies like California's Prop 65 (reproductive harm), the EPA (Hazardous Air Pollutants), and the TEDX list (endocrine disruption). While it also appears on the EPA's "Substances Added to Food" list, this likely refers to its use in tightly regulated, very low quantities, and does not negate its recognized hazards.
List of Concerns: Details
Calif. Prop 65 California's Proposition 65: "The law protects the state's drinking water sources from being contaminated with chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, and requires businesses to inform Californians about exposures to such chemicals"- Link to resource
TEDX list The Endocrine Disruption Exchange: This list of Potential Endocrine Disruptors identifies chemicals that have shown evidence of endocrine disruption in scientific research.- Link to resource
Hazardous Air Pollutants From EPA: "Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is required to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants. This is the current list of pollutants (Final rule effective: February 4, 2022)."- Link to resource
National Air Toxics Assessment From EPA: "The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) is EPA's ongoing comprehensive evaluation of air toxics in the United States."- Link to resource
Evidence of Low Hazard: Details
Substances added to Food From EPA: The Substances Added to Food inventory replaces what was previously known as Everything Added to Foods in the United States (EAFUS). The Substances Added to Food inventory includes the following types of ingredients regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): -Food additives and color additives that are listed in FDA regulations (21 CFR Parts 172, 173 and Parts 73)"- Link to resource
How complete is the understanding of this chemical?
Methanol is exceptionally well-characterized, evidenced by an extensive scientific literature (581,000 references) and a high number of toxicological records (281). Its hazard profile is further solidified by formal evaluation by the EPA's rigorous IRIS program and the absence of any data-deficient (Tier 4) hazard classifications.
Links to Profiles and Data Sheets
These badges connect you directly to original chemical profile sheets. Active resources are highlighted in green, while unassessed resources are greyed out and crossed out.
SOURCES
Chemical-specific data for tier generation
Authoritative indicators of hazards (GHS)
Expand for details
(ORL) H301: Toxic if swallowed
(ORL) H302: Harmful if swallowed- (ORL) H303: May be harmful if swallowed
- (SKN) H311: Toxic in contact with skin
- (SKN) H319: Causes serious eye irritation
- (IHL) H331: Toxic if inhaled
- (IHL) H335: May cause respiratory irritation
- (IHL) H336: May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- (CMR) H351: Suspected of causing cancer
- (CMR) H360: May damage fertility or the unborn child
- (OGN) H370: Causes damage to organs
- (OGN) H372: Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
- (ORL) H301: Toxic if swallowed
- (ORL) H302: Harmful if swallowed
- (ORL) H303: May be harmful if swallowed
- (SKN) H311: Toxic in contact with skin
- (SKN) H319: Causes serious eye irritation
- (IHL) H331: Toxic if inhaled
- (IHL) H335: May cause respiratory irritation
- (IHL) H336: May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- (CMR) H360: May damage fertility or the unborn child
- (OGN) H370: Causes damage to organs
- (OGN) H372: Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
- (ORL) H301: Toxic if swallowed
- (SKN) H311: Toxic in contact with skin
- (IHL) H331: Toxic if inhaled
- (OGN) H370: Causes damage to organs
- (OGN) H371: May cause damage to organs
- (ORL) H301: Toxic if swallowed
- (SKN) H311: Toxic in contact with skin
- (IHL) H331: Toxic if inhaled
- (OGN) H370: Causes damage to organs
- (ORL) H302: Harmful if swallowed
- (ORL) H303: May be harmful if swallowed
- (SKN) H319: Causes serious eye irritation
- (CMR) H360: May damage fertility or the unborn child
Other indications of hazards
Expand for details
- (ORL) H301: Toxic if swallowed
- (ORL) H302: Harmful if swallowed
- (SKN) H311: Toxic in contact with skin
- (SKN) H312: Harmful in contact with skin
- (SKN) H314: Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
- (SKN) H315: Causes skin irritation
- (SKN) H317: May cause an allergic skin reaction
- (SKN) H318: Causes serious eye damage
- (SKN) H319: Causes serious eye irritation
- (IHL) H330: Fatal if inhaled
- (IHL) H331: Toxic if inhaled
- (IHL) H332: Harmful if inhaled
- (IHL) H335: May cause respiratory irritation
- (CMR) H341: Suspected of causing genetic defects
- (CMR) H351: Suspected of causing cancer
- (OGN) H370: Causes damage to organs
- (ORL) Oral: high
- (IHL) Inhalation: high
- (SKN) Dermal: high
- (EDC) Endocrine_Disruption: high
- (CMR) Reproductive: high
- (CMR) Developmental: high
- Neurotoxicity:_Repeat_Exposure: high
- Neurotoxicity:_Single_Exposure: high
- Systemic_Toxicity:_Repeat_Exposure: high
- Systemic_Toxicity:_Single_Exposure: high
- (SKN) Eye_Irritation: high
- (CMR) Genotoxicity_Mutagenicity: very high
- (ENV) Chronic_Aquatic_Toxicity: very high
- Exposure: very high
Affirmative data showing low concern
Expand for details
- Skin_Sensitization: low
- Acute_Aquatic_Toxicity
(ENV) : low - Bioaccumulation: low
