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EC number: 218-690-9 | CAS number: 2216-51-5
- 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
L Menthol is :
Skin irritant.
Slightly eye irritant
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)
Respiratory irritation
Endpoint conclusion
- Endpoint conclusion:
- no adverse effect observed (not irritating)
Additional information
Skin irritation
The cutaneous irritation potential of L-Menthol at 5 different concentrations in diethylphthalate (DEP) (i.e. 1, 5, 25, 50 and 100%) was assessed following guideline OECD 404. All the tests were performed in the same institute and followed the same protocol.
L Menthol in concentrations higher than 50% shall be classified as skin irritant.
Ocular irritation
Menthols were tested for eye irritation according to the OECD guideline 405.
The vehicle diethylphthalate (DEP) alone revealed no irritating properties.
Slightly irritating effects to the eye have been found using L Menthol concentrations of 29 to 64 %. The L Menthol eye irritation testing results are in line with the eye irritation potential of other Menthol isomers tested in rabbit eyes.
All examinations were performed in the same institute according to the same protocol.
An overview of mean score values from all valid experimental eye irritation studies in rabbits is provided in the following table. Values meeting the classification threshold of the CLP are marked in bold font.
Test item |
Test Conc. |
Mean scores of the 24-, 48- and 72-hour readings |
Study No. |
||||
Conjunctiva Discharge |
Conjunctiva |
Conjunctiva |
Iris |
Cornea |
|||
Unspecified mixture of menthol isomers |
100% |
0.3 |
2.2 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
1989072 |
Unspecified mixture of menthol isomers |
71% |
0.3 |
2.2 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
1989031 |
L Menthol |
64.3 % |
0.3 |
2.0 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
1989070 |
D Menthol |
64.3 % |
0.3 |
2.1 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
0.9 |
1989071 |
DL Menthol |
64 % |
0.3 |
2.1 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
1989073 |
DL Menthol |
40 % |
0.3 |
1.9 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
1989073 |
DL Menthol |
40 % |
0.6 |
1.5 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
0.8 |
1989028 |
L Menthol |
28.6% |
0.3 |
1.2 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
0.8 |
1989070 |
L Menthol |
28.6% |
0.0 |
0.6 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
1989029 |
D Menthol |
28.6% |
0.2 |
1.3 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
1989071 |
D Menthol |
28.6% |
0.5 |
1.3 |
0.5 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
1989030 |
Diethyl phthalate (DEP) |
Pure |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
1985152 |
Thus Menthols should be classified as eye irritant category 2 under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008. However, the data do not meet the criteria of eye irritant under Directive 67/548/EEC
Effects on skin irritation/corrosion: irritating
Effects on eye irritation: irritating
Justification for classification or non-classification
Skin irritation: L Menthol meets the criteria for classification and labelling as skin irritant, as defined in Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008. The substance showed irritating properties with a maximum oedema score of 2.9 (conc. 100%) and 2.2 at a concentration of 50 %. At the end of the post treatment observation period (14days) the skin was intact but still covered with white-brown scales in the areas treated with 50 and 100% concentration.
A concentration limit for skin irritation Category 2 respectively Xi, R38 according to DSD is set to "> 25% by weight".
Eye irritation: L Menthol when tested as suspension/solution in DEP at 64% caused eye irritation above the classification criteria according to the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Directive (CLP) 1272/2008/EC. Therefore, L Menthol (CAS 2216-51-5) has to be classified as Category 2 Eye Irritant, “Warning”, H319: Causes serious eye irritation.
With regard to classification according to the Dangerous Substances Directive (DSD) 67/548/EEC, neither neat unspecified mixture of Menthol isomers nor L-, D- and DL Menthol when tested as suspension/solution in DEP at 64% or lower concentration caused eye irritation that met the classification thresholds. It is considered unlikely that pure L-, D- or DL Menthol would be more irritating than neat unspecified mixture of Menthol isomers. Therefore, L Menthol has not to be classified with regard to eye irritation according to the Dangerous Substances Directive (DSD) 67/548/EEC.
Respiratory irritation:Menthol was tested several times in 13 weeks inhalation studies (OECD 413) in rats in the context of cigarette smoke. No irritating potential exceeding the irritation of tobacco smoke was reported.
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