Registration Dossier
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EC number: 203-815-1 | CAS number: 110-91-8
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data

Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
Morpholine is alkaline and is corrosive (cat. 1B) to skin and mucous membranes.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Skin irritation / corrosion
Endpoint conclusion
- Endpoint conclusion:
- adverse effect observed (corrosive)
Eye irritation
Endpoint conclusion
- Endpoint conclusion:
- adverse effect observed (irritating)
Respiratory irritation
Endpoint conclusion
- Endpoint conclusion:
- adverse effect observed (irritating)
Additional information
Skin irritation
With regard to the key- and supporting studies from Huntsman, Morpholine was considered to be highly corrosive (Huntsman 1997, Key-study) and was identified as corrosive dependent on the applied criteria (Huntsman 1986, Huntsman 1993, Huntsman 1997). The corrosive potential of Morpholine was measured by applying 0.1 g mixture (0.1, 0.5, 2, 5 and 10% Morpholine in petrolatum) to guinea-pig skin for 24 h (Wang and Suskind 1988). Observations were made 1, 24 and 48 h after removal of the test materials, and no noticeable effects were found in this supporting study.
In an in-house study classified as second key study, two rabbits were treated for 1, 5, 15 min or 20 h using occlusive conditions. An application site of 2.5 x 2.5 cm was covered with the liquid test substance. The animals were observed for 3 weeks and skin changes were recorded daily account. The application of the test substance for 1 min caused in 1 animal hemorrhagic areas and leathery-like necrosis at the end of the observation period. The application for 5 min caused after 24 h parchment-like necrosis in one animal and hemorrhagic areas after 24 h and leathery-like necrosis after 8 days. The application of the test substance for 15 min caused hemorrhagic areas, edema and parchment-like necrosis after 24 h which declined to leathery-like necrosis after 8 days. Leathery-like necrosis is considered as a full-thickness necrosis (BASF AG XVI). In a further study, noticed as supporting study, rabbits were treated with aqueous solutions of 2, 20, 40 and 60% Morpholine and the skin reactions were evaluated after 0.5, 24, 48 and 72 h. A 2% solution of Morpholine caused skin irritation after 72 h, whereas 40% and 60% solutions immediately caused reddening of the skin (Loden, 1985).
Eye irritation
Eye injury in rabbits was reported in several acute studies. Noticed in an in-house study classified as key study, one drop of undiluted Morpholine in rabbit eyes, repeated once after 5 min, caused oedema, opacity, staphyloma and corrosion of the eye mucous membranes within 24 h (BASF AG XVI). In a further key study it was demonstrated that 0.1 mL of undiluted Morpholine resulted in necrosis in and around the eyes (Koch1985); acting like a corrosive substance. Before these investigations, eye injury in rabbits was tested also by Smyth et al. (1954), who reported severe eye burns with 0.5 mL of a 1% solution Morpholine. With regard to other test animals, in-life clinical examinations in rats exposed to up to 0.54 g/m³ (150 ppm) Morpholine revealed increased incidences in inflammation of the cornea at week 103 of a chronic inhalation study (Huntsman 2147-102, cf. 7.5.3). Findings included keratitis, oedema, abrasion, scarring, and ulceration with or without neovascularization and corneal epithelial hyperplasia. A high incidence of retinal degeneration was observed, primarily in female animals, which was probably an age-related light-induced retinal degeneration.
Respiratory irritation
Studies of acute inhalation toxicity of Morpholine revealed irritation of the mucous membranes. In a key study there is indication that the test substance causes local irritation to exposed tissues including respiratory tract (BASF AG XVI/352, cf. 7.2.2). A supporting study noticed irritation of nose and eyes (mucous membranes) after exposure of rats to Morpholine for 6 hours to whole body at a nominal concentration of 5000 ppm equivalent to ca. 18.1 mg/L; 9/10 animals died after one treatment (Huntsman 2147-100, cf. 7.2.2).
Effects on skin irritation/corrosion: corrosive
Effects on eye irritation: corrosive
Effects on respiratory irritation: irritating
Justification for classification or non-classification
Classification, Labeling, and Packaging Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008
The available experimental test data are reliable and suitable for the purpose of classification under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008. Based on these information the test item is considered to be classified for skin and eye irritation cat. 1A and cat. 1, respectively under Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008, as amended for the tenth time in Regulation (EU) No 2017/776.
However, as the substance is already listed in Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 concerning skin and eye irritation (cat. 1B, H314), the harmonized classification is used.
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