Chemical Name: Toluenesulfonic Acid
Common Names: p-Toluenesulfonic acid, TsOH
Chemical Formula: C7H8SO3
Molecular Weight: 172.20 g/mol
CAS Number: 104-15-4
Manufacturer Info: Access emergency phone numbers, supplier addresses, and emergency response contacts through product label or procurement details on the original shipment.
Classification: Corrosive to metals, skin, and eyes; acute toxicity—oral; target organ effects listed in regulatory documents
Signal Word: Danger
Hazard Statements: May cause severe skin burns and eye damage, respiratory irritation, may be harmful if swallowed
Pictograms: Corrosive, exclamation mark
Precautionary Statements: Avoid inhaling dust or vapors, use only in well-ventilated spaces, wear protective equipment, do not eat or drink while handling, wash exposed skin thoroughly after handling.
Main Ingredient: p-Toluenesulfonic Acid – Purity >98% by weight
Impurities: Minor content of water, methylbenzenesulfonic acid isomers, negligible quantities of residual toluene
Synonyms: p-Tosic acid, 4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid
Ingredient Concentration: Predominantly >98%.
Inhalation: Remove person to fresh air, keep comfortable, seek immediate medical help for breathing difficulty or irritation
Skin Contact: Wash affected area with soap and copious water, remove contaminated clothing, seek medical advice for persistent irritation or burns
Eye Contact: Flush with water for at least 15 minutes, hold eyelids open, seek prompt medical evaluation
Ingestion: Rinse mouth, do not induce vomiting, obtain emergency medical attention—risk for corrosive injury to mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal tract
Advice for responders: Use gloves, goggles, and protective clothing, avoid contact with product or contaminated materials.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Water spray, dry chemical, carbon dioxide, foam
Hazardous Combustion Products: Sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, possibly toluene or toluene vapors
Fire-Fighting Instructions: Wear full protective gear, self-contained breathing apparatus, avoid breathing fumes
Special Hazards: Contact with metals or strong oxidizers can produce heat, toxic gases, or explosive reactions.
Personal Protection: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, long-sleeved clothing, and suitable respirator for dust or vapor
Environmental Precautions: Prevent spillage from entering drains, soil, or waterways, contain runoff
Cleanup Procedures: Neutralize with sodium bicarbonate or similar agent, absorb with inert material, collect in a waste container, ventilate area, wash contaminated surfaces with copious water after cleanup
Reporting: Notify environmental authorities as required by local regulations if significant release occurs.
Safe Handling: Use with adequate ventilation, keep container tightly closed, avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing, minimize dust generation and accumulation
Storage: Store in a cool, dry, corrosion-resistant area, away from moisture, oxidizers, strong bases, and metals
Container Requirements: Use containers made of compatible, non-corrosive materials, keep containers clearly labeled
Specific Practices: Store below 30°C, protect from physical damage and water ingress.
Exposure Limits: No established OSHA or ACGIH exposure limits for Toluenesulfonic Acid; use workplace controls to keep airborne concentrations as low as possible
Engineering Controls: Local exhaust ventilation, eyewash stations, safety showers
Personal Protective Equipment: Splash-proof goggles, chemical-resistant gloves (PVC, nitrile), lab coat or apron, closed-toe shoes, NIOSH-approved respirators for dust or vapor formation
Hygiene Measures: Wash hands before eating, smoking, or using restroom; remove contaminated clothing before entering rest areas.
Appearance: White to off-white crystalline solid or powder
Odor: Mild aromatic or phenolic odor, low volatility
Odor Threshold: Data not available
pH: Strongly acidic in water (about 1 for 1% solution)
Melting Point: About 103-107°C (anhydrous)
Boiling Point: Decomposes above 187°C—does not distilled intact
Flash Point: Not flammable in traditional sense—may decompose or react under ignition
Solubility: Soluble in water, alcohols, ether, and polar organic solvents
Vapor Pressure: Negligible at room temperature
Density: About 1.24–1.35 g/cm³
Partition Coefficient: Data not available.
Chemical Stability: Stable under standard temperature and storage conditions if dry
Reactive With: Strong bases, oxidizers, reactive metals (zinc, aluminum), water/moisture in bulk
Decomposition Products: Releases sulfur dioxide, carbon oxides, toluene or related fragments at elevated temperatures
Hazardous Reactions: Strong acid/base reactions producing heat, violent with certain bases, can attack metals and release hydrogen gas.
Acute Toxicity: Oral LD50 rat approximately 2500 mg/kg
Inhalation Toxicity: Can cause respiratory tract burns, coughing, and shortness of breath
Skin and Eye Irritation: Causes severe burns, eye damage, possible blindness
Chronic Effects: No clear evidence for carcinogenicity or long-term mutagenicity in humans, but repeated exposure may worsen respiratory and skin conditions
Sensitization: Not known to cause allergic skin reactions, limited data on respiratory sensitivity.
Aquatic Toxicity: Harmful to aquatic organisms due to strong acidity, changes pH dramatically if released to water
Persistence and Degradability: Rapidly neutralized by environmental bases, ultimately biodegradable, does not persist as toluenesulfonic acid under environmental conditions
Bioaccumulative Potential: Not likely to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms based on chemical structure and water solubility
Environmental Fate: Dilutes and neutralizes in natural waters, degradation primarily by hydrolysis and microbial action.
Waste Disposal: Neutralize surplus before disposal; collect waste in sealed, labeled, corrosion-resistant containers; disposal and treatment in compliance with local, regional, and national regulations
Contaminated Packaging: Triple rinse containers before recycling or disposal; treat rinsate as hazardous, discourage reuse for non-chemical storage
Sewer Disposal: Strictly avoid direct discharge to wastewater, stormwater, or natural waterbodies due to rapid pH change and aquatic hazard.
UN Number: UN2585
Shipping Name: p-Toluenesulfonic acid
Hazard Class: 8 (Corrosive substances)
Packing Group: III (for less severe hazard), II may apply depending on concentration
Transport Labels: Corrosive, keep upright, avoid contact with foodstuffs
Special Transport Requirements: Provide secondary containment, avoid temperature extremes, separate from incompatible substances
Regulatory Transport Notes: Follow all relevant regional, national, and international transportation laws, notify responders of hazards during shipping.
US Regulations: Listed under TSCA; SARA Title III reporting not typically triggered; no CERCLA RQ; not on the US EPA’s List of Extremely Hazardous Substances; OSHA regulated as a corrosive
EU Regulations: REACH registered, listed under EINECS/ELINCS; CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008—classified as corrosive; workplace exposure and environmental restrictions apply under national regulations
Canada: Listed on DSL; handled as a workplace hazardous material
Other Regions: Check country-specific chemical inventory and workplace safety requirements; product subject to labeling, packaging, and exposure prevention rules globally.
