Is Sec-Butyl Alcohol safe in cosmetics?
Sec-Butyl Alcohol has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Sec-Butyl Alcohol
Also known as: 2-01-00-00400, BRN 0773649, Butyl alcohol, sec-, Caswell No. 119C, EINECS 201-158-5 (+14 more)
INCI: SEC-BUTYL ALCOHOL (2-BUTANOL)
Sec-Butyl Alcohol (CAS 78-92-2) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent, Viscosity Controlling Agent. NOAEL 480 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word WARNING. 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 78-92-2 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Sec-Butyl Alcohol is classified GHS CMR hazard (H226, H319, H335, H336, H303, H361) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Solvent, Viscosity Controlling Agent
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
butan-2-ol
InChIKey
BTANRVKWQNVYAZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Listed on TSCA; OSHA regulated; used in limited cosmetic applications
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Sec-Butyl Alcohol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
2 study endpoints found for Sec-Butyl Alcohol. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | 1644 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Multigeneration Reproductive | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 1771 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Reproductive-developmental | COSMOS_DB |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Pictograms
FlamFlameExcl markWarnCancerHealth haz
Hazard Statements
Flammable liquid and vapour May be harmful if swallowed Causes eye irritation May cause respiratory irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes and upper respiratory tract. Exposure far above the OEL could cause lowering of consciousness. If swallowed the substance may cause vomiting and could result in aspiration pneumonitis.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour and by ingestion.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Sec-Butyl Alcohol across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
0112
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Vapor: Irritating to eyes, nose and throat; ... Liquid: Irritating to eyes | ... Irritating to ... skin. | ... IN LIQUID FORM IT WAS LESS INJURIOUS TO EYES THAN N-BUTANOL.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (1)
JECFA Evaluation
2-HYDROXYBUTANE | 1979 | NO ADI ALLOCATED | TRS 648-JECFA 23/19 | NOT PREPARED
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (3)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Sec-Butyl Alcohol.
Regulatory Flags
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_concern
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Sec-Butyl Alcohol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
2
Lowest NOAEL
1644 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1771 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS_DB
Known Synonyms
2-01-00-00400
BRN 0773649
Butyl alcohol, sec-
Caswell No. 119C
EINECS 201-158-5
EINECS 240-029-8
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 001502
1-Methyl propanol
Methylethyl carbinol
Butanol secondaire
UNII-0TUL3ENK62
Alcool butylique secondaire
Alcool butylique secondaire (French)
Butan-2-ol
Butanol secondaire (French)
D-Sec-butanol
Ethyl methyl carbinol
L-Sec-butanol
N-Butan-2-ol
Chemical Function
Solvent
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory Lists
IFRA Transparency
air; Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; detected; emissions; Europe
consumer_product; detected; Europe
air; emissions; Europe; nondetect; Other direct contact consumer goods
IFRA Transparency
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
consumer_product
Europe
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
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
BUTANOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL45462
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sec-Butyl Alcohol allowed in the EU?
Sec-Butyl Alcohol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Sec-Butyl Alcohol do in cosmetics?
Sec-Butyl Alcohol functions as: Solvent, Viscosity Controlling Agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 78-92-2.
What is the NOAEL for Sec-Butyl Alcohol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Sec-Butyl Alcohol is 1644 mg/kg bw/day based on a Multigeneration Reproductive study via oral route in rat. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.
Is Sec-Butyl Alcohol classified as hazardous under GHS?
Sec-Butyl Alcohol carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: Flammable liquid and vapour May be harmful if swallowed Causes eye irritation May cause respiratory irritation May cause drowsiness or dizziness May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways. 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 Sec-Butyl Alcohol used outside cosmetics?
Sec-Butyl Alcohol 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 Sec-Butyl Alcohol have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Sec-Butyl Alcohol is classified GHS CMR hazard (H226, H319, H335, H336, H303, H361) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Sec-Butyl Alcohol 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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