Is Triethylamine safe in cosmetics?
Triethylamine has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Triethylamine
Also known as: Ethanamine, N,N-diethyl-, EINECS 204-469-4, UNII-VOU728O6AY, (C2H5)3N, N,N,N-triethylamine (+3 more)
INCI: TRIETHYLAMINE
Triethylamine (CAS 121-44-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as pH Adjuster, Buffering Agent (tertiary amine used to neutralize. Reported NOAEL =0.1 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. 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 121-44-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Triethylamine is classified GHS Danger (H225, H302, H311, H312, H314, H318, H331, H332) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
pH Adjuster, Buffering Agent (tertiary amine used to neutralize carbomer/acrylate polymers)
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
N,N-diethylethanamine
InChIKey
ZMANZCXQSJIPKH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted for cosmetic use at low concentrations
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Triethylamine.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for Triethylamine. 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 | =0.1 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | 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 corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Corrosive on ingestion. Inhalation may cause lung oedema. See Notes. The effects may be delayed. Medical observation is indicated. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, through the skin and by ingestion.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableAcute ToxicityCorrosive
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; Acute Tox. 3; Acute Tox. 3; Acute Tox. 3; Skin Corr. 1A; Eye Dam. 1
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H331 Toxic if inhaled
- H311 Toxic in contact with skin
- H301 Toxic if swallowed
- H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
- H318 Causes serious eye damage
Specific Concentration Limits / M-factors
inhalation: ATE = 7.2 mg/L vapours; dermal: ATE = 300.0 mg/kg bw; oral: ATE = 100.0 mg/kg bw; STOT SE 3; H335: C ≥ 1.0%
Inserted via ATP: ATP21
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 (3)
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
A4: Not classifiable as a human carcinogen.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
ICSC Safety Card
0203
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Irritating to skin, eyes, and respiratory system. | /Triethylamine/ is strongly alkaline, and when drop is applied to rabbit's eye, causes severe injury, graded 9 on scale of 1 to 10 after 24 hr /most severe injuries have been rated 10/. Tests of aqueaous solution on rabbit eyes at pH 10 and pH 11 indicate injuriousness /of triethylamine/ is related principally to degree of alkalinity. | A 70% sol
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
1611
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
TRIETHYLAMINE | 2008 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | ">TRS 952-JECFA 69/155 | ">FAS 60-JECFA 69/629
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Triethylamine.
Regulatory Flags
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Triethylamine by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
1
Lowest NOAEL
0.1 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
0.1 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
Ethanamine, N,N-diethyl-
EINECS 204-469-4
UNII-VOU728O6AY
(C2H5)3N
N,N,N-triethylamine
NEt3
TEA
TEN
Chemical Function
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Biocide
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; detected
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
Canada; consumer_product; Substances in Products - Canada (4/2014)
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; detected; Europe
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
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.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL284057
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Triethylamine allowed in the EU?
Triethylamine EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Triethylamine do in cosmetics?
Triethylamine functions as: pH Adjuster, Buffering Agent (tertiary amine used to neutralize carbomer/acrylate polymers). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 121-44-8.
What is the NOAEL for Triethylamine?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Triethylamine is =0.1 mg/kg bw/day based on a chronic study via oral route in Rat. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Triethylamine used outside cosmetics?
Triethylamine 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 Triethylamine have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Triethylamine is classified GHS Danger (H225, H302, H311, H312, H314, H318, H331, H332) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Triethylamine 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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