Diethyl ether

Water solubility

Description of key information

64.9 g/L, 20 °C, (Maczynski, 2008)

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Water solubility:

64 900 mg/L

at the temperature of:

20 °C

Additional information

The systematic review of the available published data by Maczynski (2008) is considered to be the most reliable value due to the detailed information on the review methodology, and the fitting of the whole data set (pooled from 15 separate studies), which would reduce the systematic uncertainty below that of an individual experimental value. The presented data are self-consistent and give no indication of significant uncertainty in the reported values for the relevant temperature range.

Simple averages taken from the data presented in Mackay (2006) (62 g/L, esd 3 g/L, evidence of data recycling) and Valvani (1981) (64 g/L, esd 6g/L), were in good agreement with Maczynski, and well within the estimated uncertainty.

The critical review of the solubility data for diethyl ether by Maczynski is considered to be adequate (the value is well defined and there are no nearby regulatory cut-offs) for the purposes of classification and labelling and risk assessment. The published paper documents the full methodology of the review, as well as all relevant raw data and experimental conditions. No guideline method is available for testing the water solubility of volatile substances (see OECD guideline 105, paragraph 2), hence the approach taken is considered to be valid and best practice (endorsed by IUPAC-NIST) for meeting the data requirements for this endpoint. As a result, testing does not appear scientifically necessary based on the use of existing data and, given the above points, the criteria in Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006, Annex XI, 1.1.1 are considered to be met.