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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Description of key information

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Skin sensitisation

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no study available
Additional information:

An Annex VII Column 2 adaptation applies since acetic anhydride is corrosive. In addition the weight of evidence indicates that acetic anhydride does not have sensitising potential.

There are no reports of skin sensitisation/allergic contact dermatitis to acetic anhydride in humans generally, or among those known to have been exposed to this chemical.

There is a lack of studies examining the skin sensitisation potential of acetic anhydride in well conducted guideline methods. Some evidence of acetic anhydride being associated skin reactions in guinea pigs was reported in 1940 (Jacobs, 1940; Jacobset al., 1940). However, these studies are of poor quality, and from data available it is not possible to distinguish between true allergic contact dermatitis and irritant reactions. The conclusion drawn is that acetic anhydride lacks the potential to induce skin sensitisation.

This conclusion is consistent with the fact that although, in principle, acetic anhydride will have some ability to associate with protein, this would be in the absence of protein cross-linking (HSE, 2002), and would result only in addition to the protein of a small acetyl leaving group. The available evidence indicates that acetic anhydride would not generate a hapten-protein complex capable of inducing an immune response and the acquisition of skin sensitisation.

Citations

Jacobs, JL (1940) Immediate Generalized Skin Reactions in Hypersensitive Guinea Pigs. Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. V43 p641

Jacobs, JL et al. (1940) Immediate Reactions to anhydrides of immediate and erythema type. Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. V43 p74 -77

UK HSE (2002) HSE EH 72/16 Acetic Anhydride : Risk assessment document. ISBN 0 7176 2364 5


Migrated from Short description of key information:
The weight of evidence indicates that acetic anhydride does not have sensitising potential.

Respiratory sensitisation

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no study available
Additional information:

There is no evidence that exposure to acetic anhydride is associated with respiratory allergy

No data are available regarding the ability of acetic anhydride to induce in animals sensitisation of the respiratory tract, or respiratory allergy.

The inability of acetic anhydride to generate an immunogenic hapten-protein complex is consistent with the lack of respiratory allergic potential


Migrated from Short description of key information:
The weight of evidence indicates that acetic anhydride does not have sensitising potential.

Justification for classification or non-classification

The weight of evidence indicates that acetic anhydride does not have sensitising potential. No classification is warranted.