Is Pentane safe in cosmetics?
Pentane has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: restricted.
Pentane
Also known as: n-Pentane, Norpar 5S, Caswell No. 642AA, EINECS 203-692-4, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 098001 (+7 more)
INCI: PENTANE
Pentane (CAS 109-66-0) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent, Propellant, Viscosity controlling. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 109-66-0 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Pentane is classified GHS Danger (H224, H225, H304, H336, H411, H320, H335, H401) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Solvent, Propellant, Viscosity controlling
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
pentane
InChIKey
OFBQJSOFQDEBGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Not specifically restricted by FDA for cosmetic use
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Pentane.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlameExcl markWarnCancerHealth haz
Hazard Statements
Highly flammable liquid and vapour May cause drowsiness or dizziness May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways Toxic to aquatic life
Short-term Exposure Effects
If swallowed the substance easily enters the airways and could result in aspiration pneumonitis. Inhalation of high concentrations of the vapour may cause depression of the central nervous system.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHealth HazardHarmful / IrritantEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; Asp. Tox. 1; STOT SE 3; Aquatic Chronic 2
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H304 May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways
- H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
- H411 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100,000 - 1,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Carcinogen Classification
Pentane is found in gasoline, which is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). (L135)
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
0534
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
... Irritation of eyes, skin, nose.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Propellants
non-motive (blowing agents)
Solvent
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Pentane.
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Pentane by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
6
Lowest NOAEL
300 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1000 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
n-Pentane
Norpar 5S
Caswell No. 642AA
EINECS 203-692-4
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 098001
Tetrafume
Tetrakil
Tetraspot
Pentanen
Pentani
UNII-4FEX897A91
R-601
Chemical Function
Solvent
Propellants
non-motive (blowing agents)
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory Lists
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
Indirect additives food contact (10/2018)
air; detected; emissions; Personal care
Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
detected; Europe; Vehicle - car interior
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
Cleaning products and household care; Europe
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
PENTANE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL16102
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pentane allowed in the EU?
Pentane EU regulatory status: restricted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Pentane do in cosmetics?
Pentane functions as: Solvent, Propellant, Viscosity controlling. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 109-66-0.
Is Pentane classified as hazardous under GHS?
Pentane carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Highly flammable liquid and vapour May cause drowsiness or dizziness May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways Toxic to aquatic life. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Pentane used outside cosmetics?
Pentane also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Pentane have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Pentane is classified GHS Danger (H224, H225, H304, H336, H411, H320, H335, H401) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Pentane compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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