2-Aminoethanol · 99% min commercial grade, LR and AR grades, drums to ISO tanks
Monoethanolamine is the simplest ethanolamine — a primary amine and a primary alcohol on a two-carbon chain — and the workhorse base for gas treating, detergents and metalworking fluids. Chelora Amines supplies it worldwide to gas-processing, detergent, cement, textile, wood-preservation and pharmaceutical plants across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas, as well as throughout India, with a batch-wise COA and SDS on every dispatch.
24.02 + 7.06 + 14.01 + 16.00 = 61.08 g/mol
Monoethanolamine, usually shortened to MEA and also called ethanolamine or 2-aminoethanol, carries a primary amine and a primary alcohol on a two-carbon chain. That combination gives it the reactivity of a strong organic base with the water-miscibility and low volatility of a glycol.
It is a clear, viscous, hygroscopic liquid with a mild ammoniacal odour. It freezes at about 10 °C, so in cold climates and air-conditioned stores it needs warm storage or a heated line. It absorbs carbon dioxide and water from the air, which is why sealed packing and nitrogen blanketing matter for colour and assay.
Industrially, MEA is made by reacting ethylene oxide with aqueous ammonia. The reaction gives monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine together, and the ratio is steered by how much ammonia is used. The three are separated by vacuum distillation, which is why every MEA specification controls the DEA content.
| Chemical name | 2-Aminoethanol (ethanolamine) |
| Common synonyms | Monoethanolamine, MEA, ethanolamine, 2-hydroxyethylamine, colamine, β-aminoethanol |
| CAS number | 141-43-5 |
| EC / EINECS number | 205-483-3 |
| HS / HSN code | 2922 11 (harmonised heading used worldwide; HSN 2922 11 on Indian invoices) |
| Molecular formula | C₂H₇NO (HOCH₂CH₂NH₂) |
| Molecular weight | 61.08 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, colourless to pale yellow viscous liquid |
| Odour | Mild, ammoniacal |
| Melting / freezing point | 10.3 °C |
| Boiling point | 170 °C |
| Density | About 1.015 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Vapour pressure | About 0.5 hPa at 20 °C |
| Solubility in water | Completely miscible |
| pKa of conjugate acid | 9.50 at 25 °C |
| pH | About 12 (100 g/L solution) |
| Flash point | About 86–93 °C (closed cup) |
| Auto-ignition temperature | About 410 °C |
| UN number | UN 2491, Ethanolamine, Class 8, Packing Group III |
Figures are typical literature values for orientation. Values for the material you order are stated on its Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet.
Two groups explain almost everything MEA is used for: a primary amine that is a strong, reactive base, and a hydroxyl group that keeps it water-miscible and gives a second reactive site. These are the jobs process chemists and formulators buy it for.
Reacts reversibly with CO₂ and H₂S in an aqueous solution, forming carbamate and bisulfide that release again on heating. This is the basis of amine gas treating and post-combustion carbon capture.
2 RNH₂ + CO₂ ⇌ RNHCOO⁻ + RNH₃⁺Neutralises fatty acids, sulfonic acids and acidic herbicides to give water-soluble MEA salts — the route to MEA-LABSA in liquid detergents and to amine salts in agrochemical formulations.
RSO₃H + MEA → RSO₃⁻ MEAH⁺Condenses with fatty acids or methyl esters to give fatty monoethanolamides, the thickeners and foam boosters used in shampoos and detergents.
RCOOCH₃ + MEA → RCONHCH₂CH₂OHRaises pH and forms protective amine soaps and borates, which is why it appears in metalworking fluids, boiler treatment and coolants.
pKa 9.50 at 25 °CReacts with formaldehyde to give hexahydro-tris(hydroxyethyl)-triazine, a widely used biocide for metalworking fluids and oilfield water.
3 MEA + 3 HCHO → triazineWith ammonia and hydrogen over a catalyst it gives ethylenediamine and higher ethyleneamines — the main non-solvent industrial route from MEA.
MEA + NH₃ → EDA + H₂OForms soluble complexes with copper and other metals, used in copper-amine wood preservatives and in metal cleaning.
Cu²⁺ + n MEA → [Cu(MEA)ₙ]²⁺The hydroxyl group reacts with acids; sulfation followed by sulfonation is the industrial route from MEA to taurine.
MEA + H₂SO₄ → H₂NCH₂CH₂OSO₃HProcess notes. Neutralisation and amidation are exothermic, so add MEA under control and keep cooling available. MEA freezes at about 10 °C — keep lines traced and drums warm rather than heating a drum locally. In gas-treating units, oxygen, heat and acid gases slowly degrade MEA into heat-stable salts; reclaiming or bleeding the solvent keeps capacity up.
Discuss your processPractically all commercial MEA comes from the same route. Knowing how it is made explains why the specification always controls diethanolamine, water and colour — they come from the same reactor and the same distillation train.
Ethylene oxide is fed into aqueous ammonia. A large ammonia excess pushes the product split towards monoethanolamine.
The exothermic reaction runs in the liquid phase under pressure, with temperature controlled to limit by-products.
The reactor delivers MEA, DEA and TEA together with unreacted ammonia and water.
Ammonia is stripped and recycled, water is removed, and a vacuum distillation train separates MEA, DEA and TEA.
Product is tested for purity, water and colour, then filled into drums, totes or tankers, ideally under nitrogen.
Because all three ethanolamines leave the reactor together, the real quality question is not simply "how much MEA" but "what else came with it". Residual diethanolamine is a secondary amine that can form nitrosamines in some formulations, and water dilutes the amine and affects freezing behaviour.
Colour matters too: MEA darkens with heat and air, and a high APHA number can show up in water-white detergents and cosmetics. If your downstream use is colour- or DEA-sensitive, say so at enquiry stage and we will match the batch rather than send the standard commercial cut.
In sealed original packing, stored between about 15 and 35 °C and out of sunlight, MEA is normally used within twelve months, and we recommend a re-check of assay and colour after that before a critical batch. The product does not "go off" so much as drift: air and carbon dioxide form carbamate and raise the colour, and repeated opening of a part-used drum is the usual cause.
Keep drums closed between draws, blanket bulk tanks with dry nitrogen, and use gentle, even warming if the product has frozen — never a local hot spot. A retained sample of each batch is held here, so if a consignment is ever queried we can test against the original.
Tell us the application and we will confirm the grade. Commercial 99% grade covers gas treating, detergents and most industrial use; LR and AR grades are available for laboratory and analytical work.
The everyday industrial grade for gas treating, detergent salts, metalworking fluids and cement additives.
Tighter DEA and colour limits for personal care, pharmaceutical intermediates and water-white formulations.
MEA pre-diluted with water to lower the freezing point for cold-climate storage and easier dosing.
Tighter limits on related amines and water for R&D, method development and QC use.
| Parameter | Test method | Typical specification |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Visual | Clear liquid, free from suspended matter |
| Purity (MEA) | GC | ≥ 99.0 % w/w |
| Diethanolamine | GC | ≤ 0.5 % w/w |
| Triethanolamine | GC | ≤ 0.1 % w/w |
| Water | Karl Fischer | ≤ 0.3 % w/w |
| Colour | APHA | ≤ 15 |
| Density at 20 °C | Densitometer | 1.014 – 1.017 g/cm³ |
| Freezing point | Capillary / cooling curve | ≥ 9.5 °C |
| Iron (Fe) | AAS / ICP | ≤ 1 ppm |
Indicative specification for planning. The controlling document is the Certificate of Analysis issued for your batch. If your process needs tighter limits, say so at enquiry stage and we will quote against your specification.
This is the most common question at enquiry stage, and the answer is decided by your application and your climate rather than by price. Use the table to narrow it down, then send us the application and we will confirm.
| Point of comparison | MEA ≥ 99% | MEA 85% (aqueous) | Low-DEA / low-colour MEA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Gas treating, detergents, metalworking fluids, synthesis | Cold-climate storage, dosing into water-based systems | Cosmetics, pharma intermediates, water-white products |
| Freezing behaviour | Freezes at about 10 °C | Stays liquid well below 0 °C | As for 99% grade |
| Water content | ≤ 0.3% | About 15% | ≤ 0.3% |
| Handling | Heated storage in cold sites | Ordinary liquid handling | Heated storage, nitrogen blanket |
| Packs | Drums, IBCs, ISO tanks | Drums, IBCs | Drums, IBCs |
| Amine per kilogram delivered | Highest | Lower — you also pay to move water | Highest |
| Transport classification | UN 2491, Class 8, PG III | UN 2491, Class 8, PG III | UN 2491, Class 8, PG III |
Three products from one ethylene oxide reactor, with very different behaviour in a formulation. Ordering the wrong one — or the wrong grade of the right one — is the most common and most expensive mistake with this family.
| Property | Monoethanolamine (MEA) | Diethanolamine (DEA) | Triethanolamine (TEA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS number | 141-43-5 | 111-42-2 | 102-71-6 |
| Formula | HOCH₂CH₂NH₂ | (HOCH₂CH₂)₂NH | (HOCH₂CH₂)₃N |
| Molecular weight | 61.08 | 105.14 | 149.19 |
| Amine class | Primary — two N–H bonds | Secondary — one N–H bond | Tertiary — no N–H bond |
| Melting point | 10.3 °C | 28 °C | 21.6 °C |
| Boiling point | 170 °C | 269 °C (decomposes) | 335 °C |
| pKa of conjugate acid | 9.50 | 8.88 | 7.76 |
| State at 25 °C | Clear, mobile liquid | Solid or very viscous liquid | Viscous liquid (supercools easily) |
| Typical outlets | Gas treating, detergent salts, ethanolamides, ethyleneamines, wood preservation | Gas treating, diethanolamides, textile and metalworking auxiliaries, morpholine, iminodiacetic acid | Cement grinding aids, cosmetics and soaps, metalworking fluids, esterquats, titanate chelates |
A warning about abbreviations. DEA can mean diethanolamine or diethylamine, and TEA can mean triethanolamine or triethylamine — completely different products with different hazards. Triethanolamine is also sold as TEA 85 (with about 15% DEA) and TEA 99, which behave differently in cosmetics and cement. Always write the full chemical name, CAS number and grade on the enquiry and the purchase order.
See the full amine rangeMost MEA consumption sits in gas treating, detergents and metalworking fluids, with a long tail of chemical synthesis. Here is the full picture, sector by sector.
The benchmark solvent for removing CO₂ and H₂S from natural gas, refinery gas, syngas and flue gas, typically at 15–30% in water. Also the reference amine in post-combustion carbon capture.
Neutralises linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid and fatty acids to make MEA salts that stay soluble and clear in concentrated liquid detergents, dishwash and hard-surface cleaners.
Used as a pH adjuster and to make fatty monoethanolamides — cocamide MEA and lauramide MEA — that thicken and stabilise foam in shampoos and body washes.
Provides reserve alkalinity, corrosion inhibition and emulsion stability in soluble oils and synthetic coolants, often as MEA borate.
A component of cement grinding aids and concrete admixtures, usually blended with TEA and glycols.
Forms water-soluble salts of acidic herbicides, and carries copper into timber in copper-amine wood preservatives.
A building block for APIs and intermediates, the starting material for taurine, and a feedstock for ethyleneamines, oxazolines and aziridine chemistry.
Used in textile softeners and finishing agents, leather processing, waterborne paint neutralisation and as a dispersant for pigments.
If you are mapping a value chain or looking for the product one step down from where you are, this is where monoethanolamine ends up. Several of these are chemicals we can also source for you.
| Derivative | Made by | End use |
|---|---|---|
| MEA-LABSA and MEA soaps | Neutralisation of sulfonic and fatty acids | Concentrated liquid detergents, dishwash liquids and cleaners |
| Cocamide MEA, lauramide MEA | Amidation with fatty acids or methyl esters | Thickeners and foam boosters in shampoos and body washes |
| MEA borate | Reaction with boric acid | Corrosion inhibitor in metalworking fluids and coolants |
| Hexahydro-tris(hydroxyethyl)-triazine | Condensation with formaldehyde | Biocide for metalworking fluids and oilfield water |
| Ethylenediamine and ethyleneamines | Reductive amination with ammonia | Chelants, epoxy hardeners, fungicides and lubricant additives |
| Taurine | Sulfation then sulfonation | Nutritional supplements, energy drinks and pet food |
| Copper-ethanolamine complexes | Complexation with copper salts | Copper-amine wood preservatives |
| 2-Oxazolines and oxazolidines | Condensation with acids or aldehydes | Coatings, moisture scavengers and polymer modifiers |
Looking for one of these rather than the amine itself? Ask us — several are within our sourcing network, and we can quote the derivative and the raw material together.
Every container carries the Chelora Amines label with product name, grade, net weight, batch number, manufacturing date, UN number where applicable and hazard pictograms.
HDPE and MS drums, nitrogen-flushed — the most common pack for MEA.
Forklift-ready totes with bottom valves for plants drawing MEA every week.
500 mL to 25 L packs for laboratory, pilot and qualification work.
Road tankers and insulated ISO tanks for gas-treating and detergent plants.
Share your monthly consumption, your storage temperature and whether your site has heated storage, and we will recommend the grade, pack size and delivery schedule that keeps your plant running without excess inventory. Export consignments are packed in UN-specification or export-grade containers, palletised and stretch-wrapped, and shipped FOB, CIF or CFR through Nhava Sheva and Mundra.
Plan my supplyMonoethanolamine is a corrosive base that causes severe skin burns and eye damage, and it is harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. The notes below are a summary for planning only — always work to the Safety Data Sheet supplied with your consignment and your own site risk assessment.
Monoethanolamine ships as a Class 8 corrosive under UN 2491. That is routine for us, but it shapes the packing, labelling and paperwork before a first shipment moves.
| Item | Classification |
|---|---|
| Proper shipping name | Ethanolamine |
| UN number | UN 2491 |
| Hazard class | Class 8 (corrosive) |
| Packing group | III |
| Labels | Corrosion pictogram |
| Modes | Road, sea (IMDG) and air within dangerous goods quantity limits |
| Segregation | Away from acids, oxidisers and food-grade cargo |
Because MEA is a dangerous good, export bookings need correct UN packaging, labelling and a dangerous goods declaration, and some destinations require importer registration or a chemical inventory listing such as REACH. Tell us the destination at enquiry stage and we will confirm what is needed before the shipment is booked.
Start account opening| Parameter | Specification | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear liquid | Complies |
| Purity (GC) | ≥ 99.0 % | Complies |
| Diethanolamine | ≤ 0.5 % | Complies |
| Water (KF) | ≤ 0.3 % | Complies |
| Colour (APHA) | ≤ 15 | Complies |
Monoethanolamine is checked before dispatch and each consignment leaves with the paperwork your QC, stores and accounts teams need on day one.
The numbers on a Certificate of Analysis are only useful if you know how they were produced. These are the methods behind the figures on ours, and the checks worth repeating at your own goods-inward.
Separates monoethanolamine from the related amines made in the same reactor, and gives the assay and impurity profile that matter most to your formulation.
An independent check on total amine content, useful as a quick goods-inward confirmation before a drum is released to production.
Water determination, which matters for anhydrous grades and confirms strength on aqueous grades.
A visual platinum–cobalt comparison. A rising colour value is the earliest sign that a pack has been exposed to air, heat or held too long.
Fast confirmation that the material is what the label says, and a simple way to spot dilution or the wrong pack.
A quick check on purity: diethanolamine and water both depress MEA's freezing point, so a low reading flags contamination before a full GC run.
A sample from every dispatched batch is held here, so a query months later can be settled against the original material rather than an argument.
Batch number on the label ties back to the COA, the test record and the supply lot, which is what your auditor will ask to see.
Where your customer or regulator needs an independent result, we can arrange analysis at a NABL-accredited laboratory before dispatch.
Five steps for a first order of monoethanolamine. Repeat orders follow the same route on a schedule that matches your consumption.
Grade, quantity, pack size and delivery location or destination port.
We confirm the grade for your application and quote, usually within 24 hours.
The batch is tested and the COA, SDS and invoice details are prepared.
Labelled packs move by road, or in export packing for overseas buyers.
Material reaches your gate and repeat dispatches are scheduled to your usage.
Monoethanolamine is a commodity on a price list. What separates suppliers is grade flexibility, the paperwork and the answer you get when something is not routine.
Monoethanolamine sits alongside more than fifty other amines we stock, from ethanolamines to fatty amines. Your purchase team raises one enquiry, compares one quote and manages one vendor record instead of six.
Different purities and supply forms of monoethanolamine are available, so you are not forced to redesign a formulation around the only grade your supplier happens to carry.
COA, SDS, correct HSN and HS codes, transport declarations and certificates of origin are prepared with the consignment, not chased afterwards by your logistics team.
Tell us your limits on purity, related amines, water or colour and we quote against them, rather than sending the standard cut and letting your QC department find out.
Once we know your monthly draw we hold and release material on a schedule, so you carry less inventory than you otherwise would.
Describe the application rather than the product code and we will tell you which grade fits — and say so plainly when a different amine would serve you better.
Buyers who order monoethanolamine usually source these from the same list. Open any product for its specification, grades and packing, or see the full product range.
Container shipments to buyers on five continents, plus road dispatch inside India. Tell us your country and destination port and we will quote landed terms, transit time and the documentation your customs broker will ask for.
United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.
Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Czechia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and the Caribbean, shipped in UN-specification packaging with full DG documentation.
| Incoterms quoted | EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF and DAP, depending on your destination and preference |
| Load ports | Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Mundra, with Chennai and Kolkata used for eastbound routings |
| Container options | Full container loads, and consolidated LCL shipments for smaller quantities |
| Typical container fill | Around 80 drums of 200 kg, or roughly 18 to 20 IBC totes, in a 20 ft container |
| Packing for export | UN-specification drums and totes, palletised, strapped and stretch-wrapped, with DG labelling |
| Air freight | Possible for small quantities, within dangerous goods limits where the product is classified |
| Payment terms | Advance, irrevocable letter of credit or agreed credit terms for established accounts |
| Before first shipment | Company credentials, end-use declaration and any import permit the destination country requires |
Most delays in quoting monoethanolamine come from a missing line in the enquiry, not from availability. Send these eight details and a firm price usually comes back the same day.
Not sure of some of it yet? Send what you have. A description of the application and an approximate monthly volume is enough for us to come back with a recommended grade, a pack plan and an indicative price.
Send an enquiryPlain definitions of the words that appear on a monoethanolamine specification, label and shipping document.
Short answers to what purchase, plant and QC teams ask us most about this product. Anything else, ask us directly.
Send the grade, quantity, pack size and your delivery address or destination port. We come back with a price, the documents that go with the batch and a dispatch or shipping plan, usually within 24 hours.