Chemical Name: Gallic Acid Anhydrous
Synonyms: 3,4,5-Trihydroxybenzoic acid
CAS Number: 149-91-7
Common Usage: Found in the world of plant extracts, the scientific labs, and sometimes food and pharmaceuticals, gallic acid grabs attention for its antioxidant qualities. Plenty of researchers roll this compound into solutions or powders for use in testing, quality control, or formulation work.
Appearance: White or off-white crystalline powder, easy to spot and handle during transfers or weighing.
Main Hazards: Eye irritation, skin irritation, at high concentrations respiratory tract irritation.
Potential Health Effects: Too much exposure leads to coughing, sneezing, or watery eyes in some workers. Dermal contact sometimes causes redness or mild rash.
GHS Classification: Not classified as acutely toxic. Eyes and skin remain the main routes you have to watch.
Precautionary Statements: Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and clothing. Work with proper safety precautions in place, including proper labeling and accessible eyewash.
Signal Word: Mostly not needed for this compound, though that does not excuse sloppy handling.
Component: Gallic Acid Anhydrous
Chemical Formula: C7H6O5
Purity: Usually sold at purity levels above 98 percent.
Impurities: Trace water or residual solvents might sneak in, never completely out of the picture, but the bulk remains pure single-ingredient material.
Inhalation: Move exposed individuals to fresh air.
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing, rinse skin under running water, wash with soap.
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes promptly with clean running water for at least fifteen minutes; seek further care if burning or vision change persists.
Ingestion: Rinse mouth, drink water if conscious, look to medical care based on symptoms.
General: Direct exposure sends most people for eyewash, hand washing, and medical advice only if reaction is persistent or significant.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Water spray, carbon dioxide, dry chemical, or foam extinguishers get used in the lab and chemical stores.
Hazardous Combustion Products: Carbon oxides may form under fire conditions, so breathing apparatus is smart during firefighting.
Protective Equipment: Firefighters rely on self-contained breathing apparatus and proper gear.
Specific Hazards: Dust from powders can form explosive mixtures in air in rare storage or transport mishaps—smart practice involves keeping dust at bay.
Personal Precautions: Use appropriate PPE—long sleeves, gloves, and safety goggles should be standard.
Spill Cleanup: Do not sweep dry powder into the air. Gather spills using a moistened towel or vacuum with HEPA filter.
Disposal: Place collected powder in sealed containers for waste disposal.
Environmental Considerations: Avoid entering drains or water bodies, though gallic acid doesn’t stick around long in streams due to microbial degradation. Still, avoid unnecessary release.
Handling: Handle in well-ventilated areas, avoid dust formation, label containers, and store below eye level to reduce the risk of accidental spillage.
Safe Storage: Keep in tightly sealed container in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Separation: Store away from strong oxidizing agents, moisture, and incompatible chemicals.
Labeling: A good storage area holds up-to-date labels and clean shelves.
Engineering Controls: Local exhaust ventilation makes a big difference—fans, hood hatches, and dust collectors are often more important than the gloves themselves.
Personal Protective Equipment: Nitrile gloves, safety goggles, or face shields for bulk handling. Lab coats or coveralls keep residues off clothing.
Respiratory Protection: Normally not needed at bench scale, but in larger operations or during cleanup think about NIOSH-approved masks.
Hygiene: Wash hands before eating, drinking, or smoking. Never touch face or eyes while handling powder.
Physical State: Solid, crystalline
Color: White or light tan
Melting Point: Approximately 250 °C, with decomposition
Odor: Slightly acidic to odorless
Solubility: Freely soluble in water and ethanol.
Molecular Weight: 170.12 g/mol
Vapor Pressure: Negligible
pH: Slightly acidic in aqueous solution
Stability: Stable under normal conditions of temperature and pressure.
Incompatible Materials: Strong oxidizers, bases.
Decomposition: Prolonged heat or exposure to strong acids releases carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and phenolic fumes.
Polymerization: Does not undergo hazardous polymerization.
Acute Toxicity: Low oral and dermal toxicity reported in animals.
Chronic Effects: Not associated with significant long-term health risks in average lab or industrial use.
Target Organs: Not considered an organ toxin, but excessive exposure causes local irritation to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.
Carcinogenicity: The scientific consensus does not place gallic acid on carcinogen lists, yet ongoing research continues to assess subtler risks.
Mutagenicity: Most mutagenicity studies in common literature remain negative.
Sensitization: Rare reports describe skin sensitivity.
Ecotoxicity: Low aquatic toxicity in most water and soil tests.
Persistence and Degradability: Biodegrades fairly quickly with natural microbes.
Bioaccumulation: Not expected to bioaccumulate.
Mobility in Soil: Mobile in water but eventually degraded before reaching significant levels.
Other Issues: Big spills to waterways could still stress small aquatic systems, so preventing releases matters.
Waste Management: Place contaminated waste in designated chemical waste containers.
Disposal Methods: Take to chemical disposal facility or incinerate according to local, state, and national requirements.
Recycling: Not practical given common bench-scale use; little value in attempted recovery.
Contaminated Packaging: Triple rinse bottles and discard under chemical waste.
UN Number: Not regulated for transport in most countries.
Proper Shipping Name: Gallic Acid Anhydrous
Transport Hazards: Not classified as a dangerous good under common rules. Transporters still keep original labels intact and protect packages from breakage.
Packing Group: Usually not assigned.
International Inventories: Listed on several chemical inventories including EINECS and TSCA.
Regulatory Status: Not flagged as a controlled substance or hazardous chemical at low exposures by most authorities worldwide.
Labeling Requirements: Standard labelling with hazard icons if decanted.
Other Concerns: Some countries enforce local restrictions on industrial use— checking current national rules matters if working outside common lab settings.
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