Summary. A TDS lists limits; a batch CoA reports what was measured on your lot. Our ethyl acetate TDS (SPC-TDS-EST-001) has eight rows, from content 99.80% w/w min to colour 10.0 APHA max, and its limits are an envelope that three producers meet, not a typical value. The grade is Commercial / Industrial, not food or pharma grade.
TDS, CoA and SDS: three documents, three jobs
Buyers often mix up the three documents that come with a solvent. They answer different questions, and reading each for the right purpose avoids disputes later.
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS): the specification limits the product is offered against. For ethyl acetate, our TDS is SPC-TDS-EST-001, Rev 01, dated 10 June 2026.
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA): the measured results for one batch. A batch Certificate of Analysis is supplied with every delivery.
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS): hazards, handling, storage and transport. It also gives literature physical values such as boiling point and flash point, which are not the same thing as a measured batch result.
The TDS tells you what to expect, the CoA tells you what you received, and the SDS tells you how to handle it safely. Download the TDS and SDS from the ethyl acetate product page.
The eight rows at a glance
| Row | TDS limit | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear, colourless liquid | No haze, particles or visible colour |
| Ethyl acetate content | 99.80 % w/w min | How pure the solvent is overall |
| Acidity as acetic acid | 0.0100 % w/w max | Free acid that can affect resins and metals |
| Water | 0.1000 % w/w max | Moisture carried in the solvent |
| Ethyl alcohol | 0.05 % w/w max | Residual alcohol impurity |
| Specific gravity at 27 °C | 0.894 to 0.898 | Density relative to water at 27 °C |
| Residue on evaporation | 0.0100 % w/w max | Non-volatile matter left after drying |
| Colour | 10.0 APHA max | Near water-white clarity |
Source: SPC TDS SPC-TDS-EST-001, Rev 01. The explanations in the right-hand column are general knowledge.
Row by row
Appearance
A clear, colourless liquid is the baseline check on receipt. Haze can point to water contamination or foreign matter, and visible colour to contamination or ageing. It costs nothing to check the tanker sample by eye before you accept the load.
Ethyl acetate content
This is the headline purity figure: 99.80% w/w minimum. It means at least 99.80 parts in 100 by weight are ethyl acetate. The remainder is the sum of the other limits and small unspecified traces. When a buyer says "99.8 grade", this is the row they mean. It is not a food, pharma or laboratory claim; the grade is Commercial / Industrial.
Acidity as acetic acid
In general, free acid in an ester can build up through hydrolysis or from manufacture. The limit of 0.0100% w/w max, expressed as acetic acid, keeps acidity low. It matters most in formulations with acid-sensitive resins or pigments and where the solvent contacts metal.
Water
The limit is 0.1000% w/w max. Water is commonly measured by Karl Fischer titration, which is general laboratory practice rather than a statement about any particular batch method. Moisture can cause haze in lacquers, interfere with moisture-sensitive chemistry and, over time, contribute to ester hydrolysis. If your process has a tighter water limit than the TDS, say so in your enquiry before ordering.
Ethyl alcohol
General knowledge: ethanol is a common trace impurity in ethyl acetate because it is a starting material for ester production. The limit is 0.05% w/w max. It is controlled because alcohol changes evaporation behaviour; in general, alcohols can also interfere with some isocyanate-based systems.
Specific gravity at 27 °C
The TDS limit is 0.894 to 0.898. The temperature basis is part of the figure, and it is covered in its own section below.
Residue on evaporation
This is the non-volatile matter left when a measured amount of solvent evaporates. The limit is 0.0100% w/w max. A low residue gives clean films and less deposit on rollers and nozzles.
Colour (APHA)
APHA, also called the platinum-cobalt scale, measures yellowness in near-colourless liquids. A value of 10.0 APHA max is close to water-white. It is a quick indicator of cleanliness and storage history.
Why specific gravity is quoted at 27 °C
Our TDS states 0.894 to 0.898 at 27 °C. The temperature is part of the specification. Liquid density changes with temperature: the warmer the liquid, the lower the density. Our Safety Data Sheet quotes a literature relative density of about 0.902 at 20 °C. These numbers are consistent: they describe the same liquid at two temperatures, and the higher figure belongs to the cooler temperature.
Two practical rules follow. First, never compare a density value on one document with a value on another without checking the temperature. Second, if you convert between mass and volume when buying or dosing, use the density at the temperature where you actually measure the liquid. The SDS figure is a literature value, not an SPC measurement.
What "envelope" means on this TDS
Our ethyl acetate TDS names three producers: Laxmi Organic Industries Ltd, Satyam Petrochemicals and Jubilant Ingrevia Limited. All three certify 99.80% min content. The limits printed on our TDS are the envelope that material from all three meets. That has two consequences for a buyer.
- The TDS limit is a ceiling or floor, not a typical result. A lot can sit well inside the limit on any row.
- The TDS is not one producer's specification. If your quality agreement names a particular producer's own specification, say so in your enquiry so it can be checked against that producer's certificate.
Supreme Petro Chemicals is a trader, importer and bulk distributor, not a manufacturer. We supply this material against the producers' published specifications.
Checking a batch CoA against the TDS
- Confirm the product name, CAS number (141-78-6) and batch number on the CoA match the consignment documents.
- Check the parameters the CoA reports against the matching TDS limits, and ask us if a row you need is not reported.
- Look at the units and the temperature basis, especially for specific gravity (27 °C on the TDS), where it is reported.
- Compare the content figure first, then water and acidity, which matter most to many processes.
- Keep the CoA with the batch record, and raise any difference with us promptly, quoting the batch number.
What the TDS does not tell you
A TDS covers the listed rows and nothing else. It does not make the product food grade, pharmaceutical grade or laboratory grade. Pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers use the commercial grade as a process solvent, for example in extraction, and that is a use, not a grade claim. For regulatory context, general knowledge: the ICH Q3C guideline treats ethyl acetate as a Class 3 residual solvent with a 5000 ppm Option 1 limit in drug products. That limit applies to the finished drug product, not to the solvent grade you buy.
The TDS also does not replace the SDS. Boiling point 77.1 °C, closed-cup flash point −4 °C and explosive limits of 2.0 to 11.5 vol% are SDS literature values, not TDS rows. If your process needs them confirmed, ask us (the supplier). Ethyl acetate is a highly flammable liquid (UN 1173, Class 3, Packing Group II), so read the SDS before handling.
If you are weighing ethyl acetate against another solvent, our ethyl acetate vs butyl acetate vs acetone guide compares them side by side.
Asking for a quote with the right specification
When you request ethyl acetate, tell us the grade, quantity, delivery location and any limit tighter than the TDS. The listed pack is a bulk tanker, dispatched from our Redhills warehouse in Chennai across South India. We quote within 4 working hours, and a batch Certificate of Analysis is supplied with every delivery. Call or WhatsApp +91 86087 80096 or use the contact page.