© 2026 Sinochem Nanjing Corporation,
All Right Reserved
Chemical Name: 2,3-Epoxy-1-Propanal
Other Names: Glycidol, Oxiranemethanol, 2,3-Epoxypropanal
Chemical Formula: C3H6O2
Appearance: Often presents as a colorless or pale yellow liquid with a sharp, sweet odor
Major Uses: In practice, people find it handy as a chemical building block for pharmaceuticals, surfactants, and cosmetics. It's also used as a reactive intermediate in industrial applications, so the risk matches the reward for those who work with it every day.
Main Hazards: Irritating to eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, flammable, possibly carcinogenic based on lab studies
Signal Words: Danger
Pictograms: Exclamation mark, health hazard, and flame in most global systems
Symptoms of Overexposure: Eye watering, sore throat, coughing, headaches, possible skin blistering
Long-Term Risks: There are clear ties to organ toxicity and risk for cancer in animals. The kind of exposure matters—working in a lab, splashing this stuff, or even inhaling vapors makes a difference.
Main Component: 2,3-Epoxy-1-Propanal at more than 95 percent in high-purity forms
Impurities: Trace water, residual acids, sometimes remnants of starting materials from synthesis
Common Additives: Industrial grades may include stabilizers to slow down unwanted reactions but this varies. Purity often drives the choice of supplier and affects how carefully people need to handle the substance.
Inhalation: Move out to fresh air, loosen tight clothing, watch for breathing trouble, get medical help if discomfort lingers
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing, rinse skin—preferably under running water or in a safety shower—for several minutes
Eye Contact: Flush eyes with water for at least 15 minutes, lifting eyelids, and always seek prompt medical assessment
Ingestion: Don’t induce vomiting, rinse mouth, give water if alert, and get to a health provider quickly. Symptoms sometimes sneak up, so a professional’s eye matters.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Use dry chemical, foam, or CO2 for small fires; avoid water jets to keep splatter down
Special Hazards: Burns easily, can form toxic and irritating smoke, including formaldehyde and carbon oxides
Protective Equipment: Full protective gear and self-contained breathing apparatus if you are near a fire involving this material
Precautions: Evacuate the area if possible, cool nearby containers with water spray, and stay upwind to minimize inhaling fumes.
Personal Precautions: Use gloves and a chemical splash goggles, wear protective lab coats or overalls, avoid skin and eye contact
Environmental Precautions: Keep the material out of sewer systems and water courses. These chemicals cause problems for water treatment systems and aquatic life
Clean-up Methods: Absorb with non-combustible material like dry sand, place in a container for safe disposal, ventilate the area well, and wash the spill site after material pickup is complete.
Safe Handling: Work in fume hoods, keep containers tightly closed, avoid direct contact with skin and eyes, never eat or drink near this material
Storage Conditions: Store in a cool, well-ventilated spot away from heat, ignition sources, and oxidizers. Use secondary containment since leaks often spell disaster
Key Reminders: Label everything clearly, keep incompatible materials separated, and double-check safety showers and eyewash stations are functional.
Ventilation: Local exhaust and general room ventilation block harmful vapors from building up
Protective Equipment: Chemical-resistant gloves, splash goggles, long sleeves, and sometimes face shields make sense depending on the volume in use
Respiratory Protection: Cartridge respirators or supplied air masks if limits get exceeded; always fit-tested to the user
Exposure Limits: Regulatory agencies offer different occupational exposure ceilings; organizations like OSHA and ACGIH have weighed in with low thresholds, reflecting the risk they see.
Form: Liquid
Color: Typically colorless to pale yellow
Odor: Sharp, acrid
Boiling Point: Around 162°C
Melting Point: Below room temperature
Vapor Pressure: Moderate at room temperature, so open containers can lead to vapor buildup
Water Solubility: Highly soluble
Density: Slightly heavier than water
Reactivity: Reacts with acids, bases, and strong oxidizers. Tends to polymerize when left standing, particularly in the presence of strong acids or bases.
Chemical Stability: Stable when stored in recommended conditions; tends to degrade or polymerize outside these parameters
Incompatible Materials: Strong acids, bases, oxidizing agents, amines
Hazardous Decomposition: When burned or decomposed, releases formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide
Risks: Closed containers could rupture if decomposition happens; contamination often kicks off rapid changes. Check materials of construction for storage tanks, as epoxy-aldehydes corrode some metals over time.
Acute Exposure: Causes eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. Liquid contact can burn deeply. Vapors, if concentrated, cause coughing and shortness of breath
Chronic Exposure: Studies with lab animals show higher rates of certain cancers following long-term exposure. Those who work in production settings sometimes develop symptoms if controls aren’t tight.
Other Effects: Prolonged skin contact dries out skin, leads to itching, or even blisters. Inhalation impacts can build up without proper air handling.
Aquatic Toxicity: Toxic to aquatic life, especially if spilled in concentrated form
Bioaccumulation: Does not tend to build up in living tissue, but quickly harms water-based organisms even at low levels
Persistence: May break down slowly in the environment in the absence of good treatment systems; best to prevent release rather than try to fix the mess later.
Preferred Methods: High-temperature incineration at licensed facilities, never just throw away with regular trash
Handling: Wear protective equipment, use sealed containers, document exactly what gets shipped out for disposal
Legal Side: Considered hazardous waste in most jurisdictions; violating rules on disposal can draw stiff fines and lead to bigger issues down the road.
Shipping Class: Classified as hazardous, usually under flammable liquids or toxic chemicals
Packing: Use sealed, labeled, and chemically-resistant drums or bottles; carriers sometimes require secondary containment
Transport Precautions: Keep upright, avoid heat, inform handlers about hazards, always check for leaks after transit. Rules change depending on the country and the amount in transit.
Workplace Rules: Usually regulated under national hazardous chemical control frameworks; employers often must train employees, keep records, provide personal protective equipment, and submit regular reports
Environmental Limits: Discharge of this chemical to the environment is tightly controlled with routine inspections for compliance
Labelling: Most regions call for strong hazard labels on containers, clear pictograms, and safety training before use. Stickers on bottles only do so much—there’s a real need for workplace culture to value safety at all times.
