Is Tetraethyl Orthosilicate safe in cosmetics?
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: restricted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate
Also known as: Silicic acid (H4SiO4), tetraethyl ester, BRN 1422225, EINECS 201-083-8, Ethyl silicate,, Orthosilicic acid, tetraethyl ester (+7 more)
INCI: TETRAETHYL ORTHOSILICATE
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate (CAS 78-10-4) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Binding agent (cosmetic film-forming/binding); cross-linking agent in silicone. NOAEL 10 mg/kg bw/day (PDF-verified against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted. 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 78-10-4 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate is classified GHS Danger (H226, H319, H332, H335, H315, H320, H336, H370) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Binding agent (cosmetic film-forming/binding); cross-linking agent in silicone chemistry
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
tetraethyl silicate
InChIKey
BOTDANWDWHJENH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Not specifically restricted; permitted under general cosmetic ingredient rules; TSCA listed
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Tetraethyl Orthosilicate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for Tetraethyl Orthosilicate. 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 | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Exposure could cause lowering of consciousness.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking. The substance may have effects on the kidneys.
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 Tetraethyl Orthosilicate across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Warning
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 3; Acute Tox. 4 *; STOT SE 3; Eye Irrit. 2
Hazard Statements
- H226 Flammable liquid and vapour
- H332 Harmful if inhaled
- H335 May cause respiratory irritation
- H319 Causes serious eye irritation
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
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
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
0333
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
... 3000 ppm is intolerable to human beings; 250 ppm is irritating to eyes and nose ... | Inhalation of vapor causes eye and nose irritation ... Contact with liquid irritates eyes ... .
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Chemical reaction regulator
Filler
Hardener
No specific technical function
Viscosity modifier
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Tetraethyl Orthosilicate.
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Tetraethyl Orthosilicate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
10
Lowest NOAEL
10 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
500 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
Silicic acid (H4SiO4), tetraethyl ester
BRN 1422225
EINECS 201-083-8
Ethyl silicate,
Orthosilicic acid, tetraethyl ester
TEOS (VAN)
Tetraethyl-O-silicate
Etylu krzemian
Silicate d'ethyle
Silicate tetraethylique
Tetraethylsilikat
UNII-42064KRE49
Chemical Function
Chemical reaction regulator
Viscosity modifier
Filler
Hardener
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.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL3187981
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tetraethyl Orthosilicate allowed in the EU?
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate EU regulatory status: restricted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Tetraethyl Orthosilicate do in cosmetics?
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate functions as: Binding agent (cosmetic film-forming/binding); cross-linking agent in silicone chemistry. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 78-10-4.
What is the NOAEL for Tetraethyl Orthosilicate?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Tetraethyl Orthosilicate is =50 mg/kg bw/day based on a reproduction developmental study via oral route in Rat. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Tetraethyl Orthosilicate used outside cosmetics?
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate 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 Tetraethyl Orthosilicate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate is classified GHS Danger (H226, H319, H332, H335, H315, H320, H336, H370) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Tetraethyl Orthosilicate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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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