Ethyl chloroacetate

Endpoint summary

Description of key information

Experimental study conducted with the substance ethyl chloroacetate. 
Acute dermal irritation/corrosion: test substance is considered irritanting to rabbits (according to OECD Guideline 404)
Acute eye irritation: test substance is highly irritating to rabbit eyes (according to FDA Guidelines). Based on the experimental results obtained with the analogue methyl chloroacetate, which is considered to cause severe eye damage, and applying the read-across approach, the substance ethyl chloroacetate is also considered to cause severe eye damage.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Skin irritation / corrosion

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

adverse effect observed (irritating)

Eye irritation

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

adverse effect observed (irritating)

Additional information

Skin irritation/corrosion: key study with an exposure time of 4 hours in rabbits (in vivo) which is considered the relevant specie for acute dermal irritation classification. Test method was according to OECD 404. There is another experimental study in rabbits which was performed with an exposure time of 24 h. There is a study in guinea pig from a peer reviewed handbook, but this is not a good specie for this kind of study. Based on the results of all this studies, the substance is assessed as irritating and the propose classification for the substance is Category 2.

Eye irritation: key study in rabbits (in vivo) which is considered the relevant specie for acute eye irritation classification. The test was conducted according to FDA Guidelines. There are two more studies in rabbits from a peer reviewed handbook and from a not peer reviewed publication. The result of all of them was that the test substance was found to have a strong irritant effect on the eyes.

Based on the experimental results obtained with the analogue methyl chloroacetate, which is considered to cause severe eye damage, and applying the read-across approach, the substance ethyl chloroacetate is also considered to cause severe eye damage.

The analogue methyl chloroacetate which shares the same functional group with ethyl chloroacetate, also has comparable values for the relevant molecular properties. These properties are:

- a low log Pow value which is 0.94 -1.12 for ethyl chloroacetate and 0.63 for methyl chloroacetate,

- a high water solubility which is 20 g/l at approximately 20 ºC for ethyl chloroacetate and 51.6 g/l for methyl chloroacetate and

- similar molecular weights which are 122.55 for ethyl chloroacetate and 108.52 for methyl chloroacetate.

Effects on skin irritation/corrosion: irritating

Effects on eye irritation: highly irritating

Justification for classification or non-classification

Based on the experimental results, the substance ethyl chloroacetate is classified as "Skin irritant Category 2".

Based on the experimental results, the substance ethyl chloroacetate is classified as "Irreversible effects on the eyes Category 1".

Furthermore, the analogue methyl chloroacetate is included in the list of harmonised classifications and labelling in the CLP Regulation and this analogue is classified as "Irreversible effects on the eyes Category 1" and "Skin irritant Category 2".