substance

Acetic acid

Formula: C2H4O2
CAS: 64-19-7
InChIKey: QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-N
ChEBI: CHEBI:15366

Show in the process graph →

Made by

Acetic acid by low-water iridium methanol carbonylation (60 t/h glacial acid, concept)Main productConcept · not reviewed

Used by

Acetic anhydride by the ketene route (acetic acid cracking, 50 kt/a, concept)FeedstockConcept · not reviewed
Hydrazine hydrate by the peroxide process (PCUK, methyl ethyl ketazine route, 16 kt/a)FeedstockConcept · not reviewed

Takes part in

C₂H₂O+C₂H₄O₂givesC₄H₆O₃Reactant · one process
C₂H₄+O₂givesC₂H₄O₂Product · one process
C₂H₄O₂+CO+2H₂givesC₃H₆O₂+H₂OReactant · one process
C₂H₄O₂+NH₃givesC₂H₅NO+H₂OReactant · one process
C₂H₄O₂givesC₂H₂O+H₂OReactant · one process
C₂H₄O₂givesCH₄+CO₂Reactant · one process
CH₄O+COgivesC₂H₄O₂Product · one process

Routes compared

One route in the Atlas makes Acetic acid: nothing to compare yet. A comparison appears when a second route is added.

Per 1 kg of Acetic acid: inventory from each route's LCI dataset, unallocated; footprints per the functional unit of their own LCA.

Route	Tier, design maturity, review status	Geography, year	Energy	Feedstocks	Key emissions	Footprint	Comparability
Acetic acid by low-water iridium methanol carbonylation (60 t/h glacial acid, concept)Low-water (6 wt%) Ir/Ru methanol carbonylation at 463 K and 2900 kPa(a), adiabatic flash, light-ends / drying / heavy-ends distillation, methanol vent scrubbing; 60 t/h glacial acetic acid	flowsheet or hand-writtenDesign maturity: Concept (research)Not independently reviewedDataset review: unreviewed	GLO, 2026	Electric power: 0.00788 kWh MP steam 1100 kPa(a): 0.452 kWh	Methanol, Grade AA (from methanol-1): 0.539 kg Carbon monoxide gas (from a syngas cold box outside the boundary): 0.488 kg Methyl iodide make-up (iodide promoter): 0.00000267 kg	none	no footprint	–

ISO 14044 requires a critical review (by a panel of interested parties, ISO/TS 14071) of a comparative assertion intended to be disclosed to the public. These routes are listed side by side for screening; a statement that one is better than another needs that review. None of these routes has had such a review.