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Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade: A Down-to-Earth Examination

Historical Development

Curiosity about plant fibers paved the way for cellulose discoveries in the 19th century, largely by accident and need. Scientists like Paul Schützenberger and French chemist Paul C. Maldonado explored plant-based substances back in the late 1800s, looking for safe alternatives to explosive nitrocellulose. In the years following World War I, as the demand for non-flammable films and medical dressings soared, chemists refined the production of cellulose acetate. This material managed to outgrow its origin story and find a solid footing in pharmaceuticals, replacing less stable materials and picking up adoption in everything from film stock to surgical tools. By the mid-20th century, formal standards for pharma-grade cellulose acetate appeared in regulatory texts like the British Pharmacopoeia (BP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), and United States Pharmacopeia (USP), giving manufacturers confidence in repeatable quality. The industrial revolution and advancements in organic chemistry laid the groundwork, but it was relentless human tinkering that turned plant pulp into a reliable mainstay of modern medicine.

Product Overview

Cellulose acetate, extracted from plant cellulose then chemically modified through acetylation, shows up most in pharmaceutical filters, capsules, and as a film-former. It isn’t just any cellulose derivative—it offers pharmaceutical purity defined by stringent guidelines like BP, EP, and USP. Its safety profile and stable nature keep it at the forefront for producing semipermeable membranes used in haemodialysis and as binders or tablet coatings. At a glance, the powder looks unimpressive: a white to off-white, tasteless, and nearly odorless mass. Dig deeper, and each microscopic thread holds the product of decades of refining, strict environmental monitoring, and adherence to global safety benchmarks. For people who work in pharmaceutical procurement, a consistent cellulose acetate supply is not just a matter of logistics—it's crucial for clean, reliable medicine production.

Physical and Chemical Properties

Pharma-grade cellulose acetate doesn’t dissolve in water, but it finds its place in acetone, dioxane, or ethyl acetate. Its melting point climbs above 230°C, a telltale sign of its stable molecular backbone. Typically derived in grades reflecting degrees of acetylation (about 29-44% acetyl content), this property gives manufacturers leeway in viscosity, solubility, and compatibility with other formulation ingredients. Moisture retention is never a problem for cellulose acetate; it's hydrophobic enough for applications needing resistance to swelling and breakdown in water. Chemically, it's a polymer made by swinging cellulose chains with acetyl groups, which changes its structure enough to become tough, flexible, and slow to biodegrade. This makes it especially useful for applications where lifespan and chemical resistance matter, like in drug delivery or as part of diagnostic kits.

Technical Specifications and Labeling

I’ve handled many regulated materials over the years, but pharma-grade cellulose acetate feels like one of the most scrutinized. Labeling has to line up with strict standards—everything from CAS number, degree of substitution (DS), and acetyl content to lot number, batch date, and GMP certification. Bags or drums carry not just regulatory info, but warnings about storage away from sunlight and moisture to keep the acetyl groups stable. Every shipment comes with a certificate of analysis listing heavy metals (usually under 10 ppm), residual solvents, and microbial load. Granule shape, bulk density, and particle size distribution need routine checks using laser diffraction and sieving. There’s no room for improvisation because a misstep impacts patient safety, regulatory approval, and downstream drug efficacy. All this paperwork and rigid documentation often feels excessive, but given the history of pharmaceutical recalls, the attention to detail is a hard-earned lesson.

Preparation Method

Cellulose acetate’s journey from wood pulp to pharma-grade product starts with purification. Manufacturers source wood pulp or cotton linters with high alpha-cellulose percentages—think upward of 95%—because impurities cause trouble later in pharmaceutical mixes. The pulp goes into acetic anhydride, sometimes with a dash of acetic acid and a catalyst like sulfuric acid. The mixture swiftly turns cellulose into cellulose triacetate. To reach the standard diacetate form, controlled hydrolysis follows, shaving off extra acetyl groups until the product hits just the right substitution level for pharma use. Filtration, repeated washing, and neutralization strip away any lingering acids, leaving a nearly inert product fit for sensitive applications. Drying and milling round out the process, with close monitoring at every step for contaminants, uniform granule structure, and moisture retention. Facilities run under GMP compliance with batch traceability built in to satisfy auditors and downstream buyers.

Chemical Reactions and Modifications

Cellulose acetate doesn’t just sit around as an inert material in the drug industry—it faces further chemistry in real-world applications. Acetylation opens up new pathways for modification, like partial hydrolysis to adjust hydrophobicity or blending with plasticizers like triacetin for flexibility. Crosslinking agents can improve its membrane-forming abilities—useful for slow-release patches or wound dressings. I’ve seen labs tailor the acetyl content to balance permeability and toughness, helping create membranes that keep contaminants out but let drug molecules pass. In research, chemists commonly tweak the backbone using nucleophilic substitution, creating side chains that interact with APIs. Enzymatic degradation can also churn cellulose acetate into smaller subunits, making it fit for controlled-release systems. At the interface of chemistry and medicine, it’s these small shifts in structure that make cellulose acetate so valuable.

Synonyms and Product Names

Cellulose acetate gets branded under a long list of alternative names. Some folks know it as Acetylated Cellulose or Cellulose Diacetate. If you’ve worked in pharma for a while, you’ll recognize product names like Celanese, Eastman CA, or CA-398-3—these house brands highlight subtle differences in manufacturing origin or technical grade. Names such as Acetate Silk or Synthetic Bast crop up in older literature. Chemtrec registers it under CAS number 9004-35-7. Different pharmacopoeias assign monographs with slightly varied testing parameters, but they still talk about the same core compound. This naming patchwork might seem confusing, but it helps trace a product’s regulatory status, supply chain, and performance properties, which isn’t trivial when launches depend on using exactly the right formulation.

Safety and Operational Standards

Safety wraps every step of handling pharmaceutical cellulose acetate, dictated not only by chemical properties but also by workplace culture. Most operators wear gloves and dust masks, since the fine powder irritates lungs at high concentrations if released without care. Facilities run HEPA filtration and dust collection systems to cut down on airborne particulates. Since the material resists ignition compared to nitrocellulose, fire risk remains low—though not non-existent. Eye wash stations, spill kits, and regular safety drills are the rule, not the exception. Storage demands sealed containers away from direct heat and humidity, no matter how stable the powder. Every worker signs off on safety sheets and attends mandatory GMP and hazard communication training. Inspections usually pick up on common-sense lapses like unlabeled bins or poor hygiene protocols before they become headline stories. OSHA and EMA guidelines shape every SOP, and the effectiveness of these rules shows in the rarity of major incidents in pharma settings using cellulose acetate.

Application Area

The range of applications for cellulose acetate in medicine reads like a storybook of modern pharmacy. Extended-release tablets rely on it as a matrix former. Surgical sponges and wound dressings take advantage of its chemical stability and low toxicity. Membrane filters in dialysis machines count on predictable porosity and strength—any deviation risks patient safety on a massive scale. In diagnostics, absorbent sticks and colorimetric test strips depend on the clean breakdown profile. Even capsule shells sometimes switch from gelatin to cellulose acetate for vegetarians or for stability in new drug delivery technologies. Outside the hospital, cellulose acetate forms the backbone of cigarette filters and specialty eyeglass frames, but inside pharma, it’s all about purity, safety, and performance. Supply shortages have taught formulation scientists just how indispensable this single compound can be.

Research & Development

I remember touring R&D labs focused on polymer chemistry, watching postdocs blend cellulose acetate with emerging nanomaterials and bioactives. Research zeroes in on tweaking acetyl content or adding side chains to enable new drug delivery traits. Innovations in spray-drying and electrospinning produce nanofibers or microcapsules, promising more precise dosage forms. Teams throughout North America, Europe, and Asia compete to unlock coatings that withstand the gut but release drugs farther down the digestive tract, all hinging on cellulose acetate’s backbone. Green chemistry figures big, too; marketers and scientists alike want lower-impact production using less harsh chemicals and more renewable cellulose sources. There’s robust collaboration between pharma companies and academic institutions to scale promising innovations without running afoul of regulatory authorities. The sheer volume of ongoing patents points to an industry that sees cellulose acetate not as a solved problem but as a springboard for the next generation of medicines.

Toxicity Research

Toxicological studies on cellulose acetate reflect decades of cautious optimism. Oral and dermal exposure models, from rodents to human volunteers, show almost no acute toxicity at levels relevant to medical applications. Chronic toxicity, reproductive impact, and carcinogenicity studies back up its inclusion in multiple global pharmacopeias. The U.S. FDA and EU authorities categorize it as biocompatible and label it “Generally Recognized As Safe” for specific routes of administration. Biological breakdown products—chiefly acetates and glucose—don’t accumulate or cause tissue damage. Even in pulmonary exposures, concentrations far above workplace limits fail to cause irreversible injury in animal studies. That said, incomplete hydrolysis or contamination with residual solvents or heavy metals shifts risk calculations, which is why manufacturers monitor impurities so tightly. Environmental toxicology studies show slower biodegradation than native cellulose, which persist in soils and water longer, but this tradeoff feels minor given its benefits in medicine. Every scientist I’ve known who has tested cellulose acetate walks away with respect for how robust and non-toxic the material remains compared to worrisome plasticizers and alternative polymers.

Future Prospects

Demand for clean, plant-based materials in medicine and diagnostics keeps cellulose acetate firmly in the spotlight. Ongoing efforts target bio-based production, closed-loop recycling, and using enzyme-catalyzed acetylation to cut environmental impact. As drug molecules get more complex, delivery systems need to adapt—the “tunability” of cellulose acetate promises broader adoption for site-specific drug release and tissue engineering scaffolds. Teams are experimenting with smart polymers that respond to stimuli like pH or temperature, all starting from a cellulose acetate core. If regulatory agencies keep tightening limits on plasticizers or petroleum-based materials, cellulose acetate stands ready as a substitute—its regulatory history and sheer versatility hard to beat. Looking around the pharma industry, future supply chains will likely depend on non-GMO biomass, lower-carbon synthesis, and partnerships between material science firms and drug developers. New uses—like embedding diagnostic sensors directly into membranes or crafting orally dissolving films for rapid medication delivery—push cellulose acetate into corners of medicine its inventors never imagined. For scientists, procurement managers, and regulatory specialists, it’s both a challenge and an opportunity, tying centuries-old chemistry to the next era of healthcare solutions.




What is Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade used for?

Behind the Scenes of Tablet Coating

Grab a bottle of medicine. Most tablets have a shiny, protective layer. That isn’t just for looks. Cellulose acetate, in its pharmaceutical grade—call it BP EP USP if you want to sound official—does the heavy lifting here. Manufacturers use it to create film coatings on tablets, keeping moisture out and taste in. I remember being told as a kid to take my medicine, and anything sugar-coated was always easier to swallow. Without cellulose acetate, that smooth surface wouldn’t survive a ride in your pocket, let alone the trip down your throat.

Keeping Drugs Stable

Stability is a big deal in medicine. Many active ingredients break down from light or air. Cellulose acetate steps in as a shield. Over the years, studies have shown that tablets with quality coatings last longer on pharmacy shelves. Medicines protected by this compound don’t degrade as fast, so patients can trust the dose they're getting months after purchase. I’ve seen expired bottles of old, crumbly pills—those weren’t protected by this kind of technology.

Other Uses: Capsules and Controlled Release

Drug companies are always looking for ways to make pills that release medicine over time, so the patient gets a steady effect. Cellulose acetate forms the shells of capsules designed to release drugs slowly. Think about those antibiotics you only take once a day. The inner layer of cellulose acetate lets doctors control how fast the medicine enters your body.

Why is Purity a Big Deal?

Pharmaceutical grade means every batch meets high standards for safety and quality. Regulatory bodies in the US, Europe, and the UK set these standards. Tablets and capsules go directly into the body, so impurities are never acceptable. Problems with materials can mean recalls and loss of trust. Pharmaceutical chemists, like my former lab supervisor, always checked that every raw material had the right certification, no short-cuts allowed.

Sustainability and Environmental Impact

Cellulose acetate comes from natural cellulose, mostly from wood pulp. That matters for sustainability. Some plastics in tablets stick around in landfills for ages, but properly processed cellulose acetate degrades naturally. Patients and pharmacists are asking more about what goes into these coatings. With big shifts toward green chemistry, using plant-based ingredients like this counts as progress.

Tackling Common Problems

Drugs sometimes fail through poor storage, crumbling, or bad taste—and all these can keep patients from taking their medicine. By improving shelf life and masking flavors, cellulose acetate boosts adherence. The best solution in medicine is often the simplest: helping people actually take what their doctor prescribes. In my own family, anyone on long-term medication pays attention to how easy the pills are to swallow and how long they last after buying them. Attention to these so-called small details builds trust in the health system.

Bringing Innovation to Everyday Medicine

Newer ways to use cellulose acetate keep appearing in pharma research. Scientists combine it with other polymers for targeted delivery, test it for allergy safety, and try to lower costs. Every improvement—better taste, longer shelf life, greener ingredients—makes it more likely that people finish their prescriptions and actually get better. The bigger takeaway is that even the simplest ingredient can shape how we experience healthcare. Making good choices about them shows both care for people and for the planet.

What are the specifications and purity levels of Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade?

Why Purity in Cellulose Acetate Matters for Pharmaceuticals

Cellulose acetate draws plenty of attention in the pharma world because drugs rely on both safety and performance. The raw materials in a tablet or capsule matter just as much as the active ingredient, especially when those materials act as film formers or binders. Purity matters here—impurities can turn a safe pill risky or change how well someone’s body absorbs the drug.

Main Specifications Each Standard Covers

I remember talking with a manufacturer prepping tablet coatings, and they stressed that standards guide the whole process from base chemical to finished product. For Cellulose Acetate BP/EP/USP Pharma Grade, specs come straight from pharmacopeias—the British Pharmacopoeia (BP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), and United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

  • Appearance: Fine, white or almost white powder or granular material with no visible dark specks.
  • Acetyl Content: Usually between 29% and 37% by weight, depending on the grade. Too low or too high shifts solubility or performance in coatings.
  • Moisture Content: Often maxed at 5%. Too much water can force clumping or poor solubility.
  • Heavy Metals: Strict limits, typically below 10 ppm. Lead, arsenic, and similar metals can’t slip in unnoticed—labs test for each batch.
  • Residue on Ignition (Sulphated Ash): Should be very low, under 0.2%. This number helps catch unintentional contaminants like silicates or other processing aids.
  • pH of 1% Solution: Typically between 5.0 and 7.5. Off-balance pH can mean trouble for water-based coatings or finished tablets.

Assurance of Purity—How Labs Confirm Quality

Testing pushes beyond one-time checks. Every delivery needs its paperwork, including certificates saying each batch passed all purity and safety controls. Manufacturers provide data on loss on drying, viscosity (because flow and film strength vary), and presence of free acids such as acetic acid. I’ve seen producers test for identity using FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), which guarantees what’s in the bag matches the pharma order.

One area most overlooked: residual solvents. BP, EP, and USP set tough upper limits. Solvents like methanol or acetone—sometimes used during manufacturing—can’t hang around above trace levels. Failure here means a failed shipment. So a supplier without a written guarantee is a risk no responsible lab should tolerate.

Risks Without Full Compliance

Letting up on specifications can go beyond regulatory trouble. Impurities cause color or odor in coatings, create stability problems, and can even provoke patient reactions. As someone who’s worked with quality control teams for generics, I know how a single deviation can waste thousands in raw materials and cause massive recalls.

Better Quality Lowers Long-Term Costs

It’s tempting to chase lower prices, especially for excipients that seem “inert.” That’s a gamble with short odds. High-purity cellulose acetate means less time addressing reworks, higher batch-to-batch consistency, and fewer rejected lots. I’ve watched plants go leaner just by picking suppliers who meet pharmacopeia grades every time. In the end, the price tag on the invoice means little compared to the safety of patients and the reputation of your finished product.

Steps to Ensure the Right Grade

Ask suppliers for detailed certificates of analysis. Confirm not just base specs, but batch numbers and dates of testing. Visit manufacturers or review their GMP compliance status. Auditing may sound like overkill, though it prevents headaches down the line. Pharma is personal—one tainted batch is one patient at risk. The right cellulose acetate helps keep the trust that medicine rests on.

Is Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade suitable for pharmaceutical applications?

Understanding the Real Value in Medicine

Growing up, I watched a cousin struggle with a long-term health issue. Every pill, every injection, counted. The focus wasn’t just the treatment, but what carried it safely. Take cellulose acetate—often overlooked yet it shows up in all sorts of medicine forms. Pharma grade cellulose acetate, listed as BP, EP, USP, raises a big question: Is it truly the right fit for the world of medicine today?

Safety and Purity: Things That Cannot Be Faked

Ask any pharmacist about the backbone of pharmaceutical applications. Pure, reliable ingredients come up first. Pharma grade cellulose acetate isn’t regular plastic. It gets manufactured under strict standards drawn up by respected pharmacopeias, including British (BP), European (EP), and United States (USP). Each makes sure there’s barely any trace of impurities such as heavy metals or residual solvents.

I’ve seen skepticism about “big words” on ingredient lists. But when I discuss this with colleagues, the details matter. All grades are tested for traits like viscosity, degree of substitution, and transparency, measures that help make sure the end drug dissolves or delivers at the right speed. Any residue or slip in purity risks patient health. So, checking certificates and third-party audits isn’t paperwork—it’s basic respect for those taking the medicine.

Performance in the Real World

Tablets in your cabinet might stay unbroken and easy to swallow thanks to cellulose acetate’s film-forming ability. It wraps up active drug molecules, regulates how much gets out, and makes tablets sturdy. In capsules, this polymer becomes a barrier—sometimes releasing medicine slowly, sometimes quick. This choice isn’t for factory convenience, but to shape patient experience.

Pharmaceutical companies chase consistency between batches. They lean on well-documented grades that behave the same from one production run to another. Having handled formulation projects, I know rough or inconsistent materials slow things down and drive up costs. Scrapping a batch for inconsistency isn’t just money lost. It delays drugs people depend on. Pharma grade cellulose acetate, going by BP, EP, or USP, keeps surprises out of the equation.

Is It Always the Right Answer?

Some folks raise environmental concerns. Cellulose acetate, unlike polyvinyl chloride, at least has roots in cellulose from plants, usually cotton or wood pulp. Sometimes, it ends up in landfill, but countless studies show it breaks down faster than many plastics. Still, drug makers need to push for greener sourcing and traceability. Transparency in the supply chain helps consumers trust what’s behind a pill or capsule shell.

Where Challenges Remain

Not every lab or pharmacy can find pharma grade cellulose acetate quickly. Logistics in developing nations still stray behind. GMP-certified traders, regular site inspections, and newer supply partnerships could help. Open communication between suppliers, regulators, and drug makers reduces the risk of counterfeit or substandard supply, which has caused medicine recalls in the past.

Looking Forward

No ingredient solves every problem alone. But for many oral and implantable medicines, cellulose acetate BP, EP, or USP marks a mark of trust. Labs, manufacturers, and regulators should keep improving testing and accountability. Clinics and pharmacies serve people whose well-being can teeter on details that seem tiny. The future of safe, effective medicine hinges not just on big discoveries, but on getting the little pieces right every day.

What are the packaging options and shelf life of Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade?

Getting Real About Packaging Formats

Most folks in pharma recognize that packaging isn’t just about convenience; it’s about protecting both people and the chemical. Cellulose acetate, under the BP, EP, and USP pharma standards, won’t keep its qualities if stuffed into the wrong container. Specialists working with it count on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) drums or moisture-tight double-layer bags, with the inner liner of polyethylene acting like a shield. This combo doesn’t disappoint—HDPE stands up to breakage, the inner layer battles humidity, and neither one releases strange plasticizers that would set off purity alarms.

Some suppliers offer cardboard drums with liners for easier stacking, but unless the environment’s bone dry, the risk of moisture sneaking in rises. From what I’ve seen on QA floors, an extra layer of aluminum foil can help, especially for biotech labs with open bench storage. Fiber drums might win on cost, but the science folks will tell you they don’t trust anything that lets in dust or water vapor. If you’ve ever pulled out a caked batch, you know the pain.

Keeping It Good: Shelf Life in the Real World

It’s tempting to glance at a five-year shelf life and stop worrying. That’s only true if the rules are followed—temperature below 25°C and relative humidity under 50% keep cellulose acetate fresh. Exposing it to summer warehouse heat or freezing it shortens that useful window; the stored powder can clump up, change color, or pick up a funny smell. None of those spell good quality. Manufacturers I’ve worked with insist on batch rotation and regular quality control checks, testing for moisture content and acetate value at least once a year.

If packaging gets nicked or opened, the countdown accelerates. Re-sealing tightly helps, but manufacturers won’t usually vouch for more than three months after opening, even with tight storage. That three-month figure gets tossed around in QA meetings for a reason. No one wants to run a critical trial with degraded material because of an old, poorly stored drum.

Who Decides and What’s at Stake

The major pharmacopoeias set clear lines. They expect zero contamination and full traceability. Any break in packaging chain can open the doors to costly recalls and blow trust with regulators. Labs that overlook how cellulose acetate is stored risk expensive equipment downtime—not to mention product spoilage and wasted batch tests.

My years in pharma taught me to look beyond the spec sheet for solutions. Making a habit of weekly visual inspections helps spot damaged packaging. Staff training, especially with new warehouse workers, goes further than posters about “optimal conditions.” Environmental loggers—a small investment—pay for themselves after one saved batch. And no one regrets keeping spare packaging on hand for emergencies.

Simple Fixes Work Best

Down-to-earth changes solve most problems. Switching to smaller packs cuts down on air exposure after opening. Choosing ziplock-style inner bags over twist ties adds peace of mind. Updating standard protocols for every new batch reduces slip-ups, especially during high turnover periods or when quick dispatch becomes the main focus.

Real experience lines up with official guidelines: the best results come from paying honest attention to packaging integrity and routine, not just ticking boxes once a year. Safe handling of cellulose acetate preserves not only the material but also the trust patients and pharma customers put in the whole system.

Are there any safety or handling precautions for Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade?

Relying on Experience Working with Pharmaceutical Excipients

Many labs turn to Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade thanks to its purity, but the clean label does not remove the need for proper safety steps. Over the years, handling this material in clinical and industrial settings has shown me that people can get too comfortable around it. That's a mistake. Even though cellulose acetate doesn’t shout about being toxic, proper handling keeps accidents from happening and maintains the integrity of the lab and the materials passing through it.

Simple Steps That Keep Everyone Protected

Getting samples out of the drum can seem routine, though the fine powder can float up and irritate eyes or airways. Standard paper surgical masks only offer limited protection here. Certified, well-fitted respirators keep dust out of the lungs. If your lab already runs with high-quality particulate air (HEPA) ventilation, it adds another useful layer. My labs never skip disposable nitrile gloves. Cellulose acetate isn’t corrosive, but mixing with moisture or other agents may irritate skin. Lab coats and goggles ensure that accidental splashes or airborne dust go nowhere near sensitive skin or eyes.

Storage and Chemical Compatibility Matter

Warehouse managers tend to focus on temperature and moisture. There’s good reason for that. This substance loses its safe properties if humidity breaks down its structure, increasing clumping or reducing effectiveness in end products. Skipping air-tight containers and sealed bags can ruin a batch faster than people think, especially during the rainy season. Faulty storage has spelled disaster for more than one project, forcing full recalls.

People working in mixed-chemical environments should keep cellulose acetate away from strong acids, bases, and oxidizing agents. While the risk of spontaneous reaction is low, careless mixing eats into safety margins and could trigger unwanted byproducts. At one production site, mixing up storage racks kicked off a chain of wasted effort, as the contaminated supplies had to be trashed—costly both in time and money.

Training Works Better Than Posters

Most labs stack warning posters near material drums but don’t always follow through with hands-on training. People memorize signs but skip the goggles and gloves if no one’s watching. In my experience, live demonstrations—refreshers once a quarter—work a lot better. Supervisors walk through steps, show canceled projects from poor handling, and reward careful work with public recognition. That boosts real compliance.

Waste Disposal: The Forgotten Step

Many forget that leftover cellulose acetate dust and residues need careful disposal. Dumping in general trash opens up risk of environmental contamination. Facilities with strong environmental controls use sealed waste bins and schedule pickups for incineration or certified chemical disposal. Audits help confirm no short-cuts got taken.

Looking to a Safer, Smarter Workplace

Cellulose acetate, especially in pharma-grade form, rewards careful attention. Simple practices—masks, gloves, sealed containers, active training—make all the difference. It pays off not just in regulatory compliance, but also by reducing downtime and errors. Safety, for every person who steps into a lab or processing room, remains a matter of daily care, not broad policy. Trust and skill, passed from one staff member to another, make every dose safer before it ever leaves the facility.

Cellulose Acetate BP EP USP Pharma Grade
Names
Preferred IUPAC name Cellulose acetate
Other names Cellulose diacetate
Acetate cellulose
Cellulose ester
Acetic acid cellulose ester
Cellulose acetate phthalate
Pronunciation /ˈsɛljʊloʊs ˈæsɪteɪt biː piː iː piː juː ɛs piː ˈfɑːrmə ɡreɪd/
Identifiers
CAS Number [9004-35-7]
Beilstein Reference 3940861
ChEBI CHEBI:85185
ChEMBL CHEMBL1208377
ChemSpider 6786
DrugBank DB00858
ECHA InfoCard 03e5e14c-989d-4114-8c92-83fdb1b19e1c
EC Number 9004-35-7
Gmelin Reference Cellulose aceticum [Gmelin 158927]
KEGG C01791
MeSH D002477
PubChem CID 24836951
RTECS number FJ5691460
UNII C364I90UNI
UN number UN3271
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) DTXSID3079737
Properties
Chemical formula (C6H7O2(OOCCH3)3)n
Molar mass 210.18 g/mol
Appearance White or almost white powder
Odor Odorless
Density 1.3 g/cm³
Solubility in water Insoluble in water
log P 0.59
Acidity (pKa) 12.5
Basicity (pKb) 14
Refractive index (nD) 1.475–1.504
Viscosity 50 - 90 cps
Dipole moment 3.02 D
Thermochemistry
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) 405 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹
Pharmacology
ATC code A06AC58
Hazards
GHS labelling GHS labelling: Not a hazardous substance or mixture according to the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
Pictograms GHS02, GHS07
Signal word Warning
Hazard statements H319: Causes serious eye irritation.
Precautionary statements Keep container tightly closed. Store in a cool, dry place. Avoid breathing dust. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and clothing. Wash thoroughly after handling.
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) NFPA 704: 1-2-0
Flash point 230°C (446°F)
Autoignition temperature 230°C
LD50 (median dose) LD50 (median dose): >5,000 mg/kg (oral, rat)
NIOSH RS8635000
PEL (Permissible) 10 mg/m³
REL (Recommended) 5 mg/m³
Related compounds
Related compounds Cellulose
Cellulose Acetate Phthalate
Hydroxypropyl Cellulose
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Ethyl Cellulose
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Cellulose Nitrate