Acetaldehyde; ethanal
Acetaldehyde; ethanal is listed in Annex II as a prohibited substance for cosmetic products placed on the EU market.
Chemical identity and properties

Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyde is the aldehyde formed from acetic acid by reduction of the carboxy group. It is the most abundant carcinogen in tobacco smoke. It has a role as an electron acceptor, a mutagen, a carcinogenic agent, a teratogenic agent, an oxidising agent, a mouse metabolite, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite, an Escherichia coli metabolite, a human metabolite and an EC 3.5.1.4 (amidase) inhibitor. — ChEBI
- IUPAC name
- acetaldehyde
- Molecular formula
- C2H4O
- Molecular weight
- 44.05 g/mol
- Exact mass
- 44.026214747 Da
- XLogP3
- -0.3
- Topological polar surface area
- 17.1 Ų
- Hydrogen-bond donors
- 0
- Hydrogen-bond acceptors
- 1
- Covalent units
- 1
- Defined stereocentres
- 0
Also known as
16 more reported names
External database identifiers
- ChEBI:CHEBI:15343
- ChEBI:CHEBI:16571
- ChEMBL:CHEMBL170365
- EPA DTXSID:DTXSID5039224
- PubMed:35705057
- PubMed:35595033
- PubMed:35504338
- PubMed:35158046
- PubMed:33064461
- PubMed:31059574
- PubMed:29110037
- PubMed:28602540
- PubMed:28017615
- PubMed:26505805
- PubMed:26298003
- PubMed:24492484
Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.
Record details
Chemical name
Acetaldehyde; ethanal
Chemical / IUPAC name
Acetaldehyde; ethanal
Regulatory information
SCCS opinions
Identified ingredients
CMR
| Category | Carcinogenic | Mutagenic | Reprotoxic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat. 1B | ✓ | — | — |
| Cat. 2 | — | ✓ | — |
Key data
Inventory links for Acetaldehyde; ethanal
Related records for Acetaldehyde; ethanal
Direct matches are limited for this record, so nearby entries from Annex II are shown as well.
2,2'-((3,3',5,5'-Tetramethyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diyl)-bis(oxymethylene))-bis-oxirane
1-Cyclopropyl-6,7-difluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid
Dichloromethane; methylene chloride
N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone; 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone
Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane; D4
Diboron trioxide; boric oxide
Boric acid [1]; Boric acid [2]
Cis-1-(3-chlorallyl)-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniaadamantane chloride (cis-CTAC), quaternium-15
Borates, tetraborates, octaborates and boric acid salts and esters, including: Disodium octaborate …
Cis-1-(3-chloroallyl)-3,5,7- triaza-1-azoniaadamantane chloride (cis-CTAC)
Perboric acid (H3BO2(O2)), monosodium salt trihydrate [1] Perboric acid, sodium salt, tetrahydrate …
What Annex II means for Acetaldehyde; ethanal
Acetaldehyde; ethanal is listed as a prohibited substance under Annex II of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 and must not be intentionally added. Article 17 separately addresses unintended small quantities that are technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice and compatible with the Article 3 safety requirement.
Formulators must screen their ingredients and raw materials to ensure none contain this substance. Suppliers should provide documentation confirming absence when requested.
This record is linked to 1 CosIng inventory ingredient for name and identifier cross-reference. The page also surfaces 12 related annex records with overlapping identifiers, annex logic or naming patterns.
Compliance checklist
- Verify this substance is absent from all raw materials and finished formulations.
- Request absence confirmation or CoA from raw material suppliers.
- Document the screening result in the Product Information File (PIF).
- This substance has CMR classification. Review the CMR table above and verify current Annex II/III status before use.
Frequently asked questions
Source note for Annex II record Acetaldehyde; ethanal
This page summarizes one Annex II record for Acetaldehyde; ethanal from public European Commission cosmetic materials and adds linked inventory or identifier matches when available.
Use this record page to review Annex II conditions for Acetaldehyde; ethanal, but confirm any final regulatory decision against the current official annex wording and source files.
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