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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Administrative data

Link to relevant study record(s)

Description of key information

Short description of key information on bioaccumulation potential result: 
Dimethylcarbonate is a small, highly water soluble molecule with an octanol-water partition coefficient of 0.354. It is likely to be easily absorbed into the body through the skin. However there was no evidence of significant local or systemic toxic effects related to the test substance in any of the animal studies carried out.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Bioaccumulation potential:
low bioaccumulation potential

Additional information

 

Toxicokinetic Assessment

Dimethyl carbonate is a small molecule (molecular weight less than 100 g/mol) which is highly water soluble and has a partition coefficient of 0.354. As such it is likely to be absorbed into the body by the dermal route of exposure. The compound has a moderate vapour pressure of 7.57 KPa at 25 °C and a boiling point of 90 °C indicating that there will be a moderate amount of vapour available for absorption through inhalation and any vapour would be easily absorbed.

Through the various animal studies available no local or systemic effects were observed (see below for summaries), indicating that the test compound did not accumulate target a particular organ or area of the body.

 

Absorption

There were no studies specifically designed to investigate the absorption of the test substance.

In the toxicity studies, there was no conclusive evidence to indicate whether dimethyl carbonate was or was not absorbed by dermal or inhalation routes. After a single oral administration of 5000mg/kg DMC, the clinical signs indicative of sedation were observed in rats. Those are probably due to methanol, which is produced by degradation of DMC when present in high concentrations. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that no clinical effect is observed in the repeated oral study nor in the one-generation study, when lower doses were tested.

 

Distribution

There were no studies specifically designed to investigate the distribution of the test substance.

 

Metabolism

There were no studies specifically designed to investigate the metabolism of the test substance.

 

Excretion

There were no studies specifically designed to investigate the excretion of the test substance.

 

Bioaccumulation

There were no studies specifically designed to investigate the bioaccumulation of the test substance. The logKowwas <3 indicating that dimethyl carbonate has low bioaccumulation potential according to REACH guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment point R.7.10.3.4.

 

Conclusion

No studies were specifically designed to investigate the absorption, the distribution, the metabolism and the excretion of DMC. According to the toxicity studies, there was no indication of inhalatory or dermal absorption, metabolism, excretion or distribution. Signs of sedation after acute oral administration at high concentration were probably due to the conversion of DMC in methanol.

The acute rat oral, dermal and inhalation studies, together with the repeat dose inhalation study, and the one-generation study, indicated no resultant adverse toxicity.  Similarly, there was no evidence of skin or eye irritation in rabbits or sensitization potential in guinea pigs.