MSDS (SDS) for Chemicals: Meaning, 16 Sections, and SDS & CoA Search
An MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is a chemical safety data document. Under the GHS (Globally Harmonized System) it is called an SDS (Safety Data Sheet). This page explains what an MSDS is, its 16 sections, how to read hazard pictograms, and offers an SDS & CoA search for products at AMI Scientific.
Find an SDS & CoA
TCI products: the SDS can be downloaded directly and the CoA is available per lot number. Most TCI bottles also carry a 2D code on the cap that opens the CoA and SDS for that lot. For other products, the SDS and CoA are sent with the quotation/order or on request.
MSDS for common chemicals
| Substance | GHS hazard | CAS |
|---|---|---|
| MSDS Acetic Acid (CH3COOH) | DANGER | 64-19-7 |
| MSDS Acetone (C3H6O) | DANGER | 67-64-1 |
| MSDS Ammonia Solution (Ammonium Hydroxide) (NH3 / NH4OH) | DANGER | 1336-21-6 |
| MSDS Benzene (C6H6) | DANGER | 71-43-2 |
| MSDS Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) | DANGER | 10043-52-4 |
| MSDS Chloroform (CHCl3) | DANGER | 67-66-3 |
| MSDS D-Glucose (C6H12O6) | Not classified | 50-99-7 |
| MSDS Iodine (I2) | DANGER | 7553-56-2 |
| MSDS Methanol (CH3OH) | DANGER | 67-56-1 |
| MSDS Nitric Acid (HNO3) | DANGER | 7697-37-2 |
| MSDS Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) (C8H9NO2) | DANGER | 103-90-2 |
| MSDS Phenolphthalein (C20H14O4) | DANGER | 77-09-8 |
| MSDS Potassium Chloride (KCl) | Not classified | 7447-40-7 |
| MSDS Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) | DANGER | 1310-58-3 |
| MSDS Potassium Iodide (KI) | DANGER | 7681-11-0 |
| MSDS Silver Nitrate (AgNO3) | DANGER | 7761-88-8 |
| MSDS Sodium Carbonate (Na2CO3) | WARNING | 497-19-8 |
| MSDS Sodium Chloride (NaCl) | Not classified | 7647-14-5 |
| MSDS Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) | DANGER | 1310-73-2 |
| MSDS Sodium Thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) | Not classified | 7772-98-7 |
| MSDS Urea (CH4N2O) | WARNING | 57-13-6 |
What is an MSDS and how is it different from an SDS?
MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. Its format used to vary between manufacturers. The GHS standardised it as the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) with 16 sections in a fixed order, so the same information is always in the same place. In practice, the term MSDS is still widely used for the same document.
An MSDS tells users about a substance's hazards, safe handling and storage, required personal protective equipment, first aid after exposure, spill and fire response, and disposal. Laboratories, warehouses, and EHS teams must keep an SDS for every chemical in use.
The 16 sections of a GHS SDS
- Identification
- Hazard identification
- Composition/information on ingredients
- First-aid measures
- Fire-fighting measures
- Accidental release measures
- Handling and storage
- Exposure controls/personal protection
- Physical and chemical properties
- Stability and reactivity
- Toxicological information
- Ecological information
- Disposal considerations
- Transport information
- Regulatory information
- Other information
GHS hazard pictograms
Explosive
Flammable
Oxidizer
Compressed gas
Corrosive
Acute toxicity
Harmful / irritant
Health hazard
Environmental hazard
The signal word DANGER is used for more severe hazard categories and WARNING for less severe ones. Hazard statements carry H codes (e.g. H314) and precautionary statements carry P codes (e.g. P280).
The MSDS summaries on this site are compiled from TCI official GHS data for information purposes. Always refer to the manufacturer's official SDS for the product and lot you use.