UN/NA Number Reference
DOT Class 1.1D Explosive placard

UN 209: Trinitrotoluene (Tnt)

49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table·ERG 2024

DOT Classification and Shipping

UN 209 is assigned the proper shipping name Trinitrotoluene (Tnt) in the U.S. DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101). It is classified as a Class 1.1D Explosive material. Required label(s): 1.1.

Packing group indicates the degree of danger within a hazard class: PG I is high danger, PG II medium, PG III low. The proper shipping name, hazard class, UN number, and packing group together form the basic shipping description that must appear on shipping papers and, where required, on the package and placard.

Emergency Response (ERG Guide 112)

Hazards: May explode or be projected if heated. Fragments may travel great distances. Fire may produce irritating or toxic gases.

Fire: DO NOT fight fire when it reaches cargo. Evacuate area and let burn. Fight fire from maximum distance.

Spill: Do not touch or walk through spilled material. Isolate spill area immediately.

Chemical and Physical Properties

Tnt, wetted with not less than 30% water appears as a slurry of a yellow water-insoluble crystalline solid. Can burn, although difficult to ignite. When water has been driven off or evaporated the residue is easily ignited, burns vigorously, and is highly explosive. Produces toxic oxides of nitrogen during combustion. May explode under exposure to intense heat. Primary hazard is blast of an explosion, not flying projectiles or fragments.

CAS Number: 118-96-7
Molecular Formula: C7H5N3O6
Molecular Weight: 227.13 g/mol
Color / Form: Monoclinic rhombohedra from alc; commercial crystals (needles) are yellow
Odor: Odorless
Boiling Point: 464 F
Melting Point: 177.6 °F (NTP, 1992)
Flash Point: (Explodes) (NIOSH, 2024)
Specific Gravity: 1.654
Vapor Pressure: 0.046 mmHg
Vapor Density: 7.85 (heavier than air)
Water Solubility: Insoluble in water
Log P: 1.6

Regulatory Data

CERCLA RQ (40 CFR 302.4)
1 lb
OSHA PEL
TWA 1.5 mg/m 3 [skin]
NIOSH REL
TWA 0.5 mg/m 3 [skin]
IDLH
500 mg/m 3

A release of this material at or above its CERCLA reportable quantity (1 lb) requires immediate notification to the National Response Center at 800-424-8802.

Need the full interactive record? Open UN 209 in the SpillNerd lookup tool for the live database entry with placard graphics, GHS pictograms, full segregation tables, and synonym search. For another material, use the UN number and chemical lookup.

Reference data compiled from the DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101), the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook, and public chemical databases (PubChem, NIOSH, EPA). Always verify the correct shipping description against the current regulation and the manufacturer's SDS Section 14 before shipping.