Registration Dossier

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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Environmental fate & pathways

Endpoint summary

Administrative data

Description of key information

Trimellitic anhydride acid chloride (TMAC) was found to hydrolyse completely at 40 °C in less than ½ hour to trimellitic acid (TMLA) and hydrogen chloride gas. Hydrolysis of the monomer TMAC was virtually instantaneous.

Additional information

Since trimellitic anhydride chloride (TMAC) has been considered as ready biodegradable (Point 5.2.1), a study of its hydrolysis under a range of pH is not strictly necessary.

However, a study of the hydrolysis of trimellitic anhydride acid chloride (TMAC) has been performed in the context of the requirements for substances that may come into contact with food via packaging material. This study examined the behaviour of TMAC in unbuffered distilled water as a simple food simulant. TMAC was found to hydrolyse completely at 40 °C in less than ½ hour to trimellitic acid (TMLA) and hydrogen chloride gas. Hydrolysis of the monomer TMAC was virtually instantaneous.

This behaviour defines trimellitic acid (TMLA) (and its salts) rather than the anhydride chloride (TMAC) as the entity relevant to exposure in the environment and also justifies the consideration of toxicology data provided by studies in which animals or test systems were administered trimellitic acid (TMLA) (bypassing the in vivo hydrolysis step) rather than the parent trimellitic anhydride chloride (TMAC).