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EC number: 200-464-6 | CAS number: 60-24-2
- 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
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Additional information
Justification for classification or non-classification
In vitro: In a study conducted according to the OECD TG 471 guidelines (SNEA, 1993) 2-mercaptoethanol did not induce reverse gene mutations in Salmonella typhimurium strains in the presence or absence of metabolic activation when tested up to cytotoxic concentrations (concentrations 125, 250, 1000, 2000 µg/plate).
Negative results with and without metabolic activation in Salmonella typhimurium were also reported in a similar study (Phillips Petroleum Company, 1982). In this test, concentrations used were 80, 120, 170, 240, 340, 500, 700 and 1000 µg/ml.
In an in vitro chromosomal aberration test conducted according to the OECD TG 473 guidelines, 2-mercaptoethanol at concentrations up to 5000μg/ml was negative with and without metabolic activation (CIT, 1996).
A positive result without metabolic activation was found in an in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test using human lymphocytes (Speit et al., 1980). 2-Mercaptoethanol was tested in concentrations up to 780 µg/ml.
Brogger (1975) reported a negative result without metabolic activation in a chromosome aberration test using human lymphocytes. Concentrations tested were 7.8, 39, 78 and 780 µg/ml.
In vivo: In a micronucleus assay according to the OECD TG 474 male and female mice were treated intraperitoneally with 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg bw 2-mercaptoethanol. Males of the high dose group showed a slight but statistically significant increase in the frequency of MPE; but data generated in the additional analysis (further 2000 polychromatic erythrocytes per animal evaluated) showed that there was no significant difference between males of the high dose group and the corresponding control. In none of the other treatment groups the number of micronucleated cells was significantly elevated. The high dose resulted in clinical signs of toxicity. In male mice of the mid and high dose group the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes to normochromatic erythrocytes was significantly decreased indicating toxic effects in the bone marrow. Under the condition of this study the test substance did not induce damage to the chromosomes or the mitotic apparatus of mouse bone marrow cells (BASF, 2002).
Classification concerning genetic toxicity is not warranted.
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