What is Octanol Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Plasticiser Demand
Analysts Sentiment
Bullish
Neutral
Bearish
What's driving sentiment this week:
Latest published month (2026-07) — Sentiment: Bullish
The most recent published customs observation for HS 290516 is 2026-07 at USD 1,482.04/ton, -1.7% against the previous month and +24.0% against 2025-08.
Reported volume across the fixed 5-economy panel was 437,527 tonnes over the window, 36,461 tonnes a month on average, and the three-month trend is +7.8%.
Next 1–3 Months — Outlook
This page is refreshed from public customs statistics rather than paid price assessments, so the next revision will roll in each newly published month for HS 290516. Direction shown here is a reading of published customs unit values, not a forecast.
Key Market Impact
Customs unit values for this heading are the single most checkable price signal available without a subscription: they combine the product mix actually crossing borders, the average contract level behind those shipments and freight-relevant volume. Treat them as the trade-weighted baseline for the heading, and read the coverage note above before applying them to a single grade.
How About the Price?
Data source: UN Comtrade public trade statistics (https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202607&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true) | Last updated: 2026-11-01
Price Trajectory, latest 12 months (2025-08 to 2026-07)
The monthly customs export unit value for HS 290516 moved from USD 1,194.88/ton in 2025-08 to USD 1,482.04/ton in 2026-07 (+24.0% across the window). The window high was USD 1,622.55/ton in 2026-05 and the low USD 1,135.94/ton in 2025-11. Three-month averages put the latest quarter +7.8% against the previous one, which is classified here as bullish.
The same panel reported USD 585.0 million of export value on 437,527 tonnes over the twelve months, an average of 36,461 tonnes a month. Values are customs returns for the stated HS heading, so they capture the traded mix of that heading rather than a single quoted grade.
The EU side of the same heading is one month fresher than the panel above: Eurostat Comext records EU27 imports of HS 290516 from outside the EU at USD 2,212.01/ton in 2026-08 (EUR 1,908.04/ton at the ECB monthly reference rate), +1.7% against 2026-07, on 1,484 tonnes; the twelve months to 2026-08 totalled 19,448 tonnes. On the 11 months the two datasets share (2025-09 to 2026-07), three-month blocks that far apart moved +27.5% on the export panel and +25.4% on the EU import side, so the two agree on direction. At this volume the monthly unit value still moves with the mix of consignments, so read it as a cross-check rather than as a second price series. Import values are recorded on a CIF-type basis by a single bloc, so the level is not comparable with the export panel — the comparison above is directional.
2026-08 is deliberately not in the series: of the 5 economies that make up this page's fixed panel, 3 had filed both value and net weight for this heading when the page was rebuilt on 2026-11-01, while the heading drew 9 filers in total that month; 2026-09 drew 0 filings for this heading, 0 of them from panel members, and 2026-10 drew 0 (0 from the panel). Splicing a partly-filed month onto a fixed panel would move the unit value through composition alone, so the window stays at 2026-07 until the whole panel for 2026-08 has reported.
HS 290516 covers octanol and its isomers, which in practice means 2-ethylhexanol dominates the heading alongside smaller volumes of n-octanol and isooctanol, so the unit value is a C8 alcohol composite rather than a single-grade quote; the phthalate, terephthalate and trimellitate esters made from it are classified elsewhere.
Supply-side factors
- Fixed reporting panel of 5 economies: DEU (276), IDN (360), MYS (458), NLD (528), USA (842). The panel is held constant in every month of the window so month-to-month movement is not a composition effect.
- Monthly unit value range over the window: USD 1,135.94 to USD 1,622.55/ton.
- Latest month, 2026-07: USD 1,482.04/ton, -1.7% against the previous month, on 42,783 tonnes.
Demand-side factors
- Octanol demand is dominated by plasticiser esters, above all DOP and the terephthalate alternatives, then by 2-ethylhexyl acrylate for coatings and adhesives and by glycol ethers, lubricant esters and mining chemicals, so offtake follows PVC compounding, coatings and construction rather than fuel markets.
- Related market pages on this site: n-Butanol (the C4 alcohol in the same ester chain), Dioctyl Phthalate (the largest plasticiser outlet), Dioctyl Terephthalate (the terephthalate alternative).
Basis: these are customs unit values for the stated HS heading, not quoted spot, contract or assessed prices, and no paid price assessment is used or redistributed on this page. Every figure can be re-checked at the API links listed at the end of this page.
Need the supplier landscape, contract structure or a delivered-cost build-up behind this heading? Request a sample report or a custom cut.
Substitutes & Alternatives
| Substitute | Replacement Scenario / How It Substitutes |
|---|---|
| 2-Ethylhexanol (2-EH) | The most direct and commercially dominant substitute. Used in virtually the same plasticizer applications (e.g., production of DEHP/DOP and DOTP) where octanol is used to make dioctyl phthalate variants. 2-EH is a branched C8 alcohol produced by the oxo process from propylene and is often preferred due to lower cost and higher availability. Substitution is essentially drop-in at the esterification stage for plasticizer manufacture, though the resulting plasticizer has slightly different migration and low-temperature flexibility properties. |
| Isononanol (INA / C9 alcohol mixture) | Used as a substitute in plasticizer production, particularly for non-phthalate plasticizers such as DINP (diisononyl phthalate) and DINA. Replaces octanol when higher molecular weight plasticizers with improved permanence and lower volatility are desired. Requires reformulation of the plasticizer ester but is a well-established industrial alternative, especially in PVC applications requiring low-migration performance. |
| n-Decanol (1-Decanol) | Substitutes for octanol in lubricant additive synthesis, surfactant production, and ester plasticizers where a higher carbon number is acceptable or preferred. In surfactant applications (e.g., alcohol ethoxylates), decanol-based products offer lower aquatic toxicity and better biodegradability profiles. Substitution requires process adjustment due to higher boiling point and viscosity but is technically straightforward. |
| n-Hexanol (1-Hexanol) | Can substitute for octanol in solvent applications, fragrance/flavor intermediates, and some ester synthesis where a shorter-chain alcohol is acceptable. In pharmaceutical and analytical uses (e.g., as a reference solvent or extraction medium), hexanol is sometimes used when the specific log Kow of octanol is not required. Partial substitution in surfactant blends is feasible but alters HLB and foam characteristics. |
| Fatty alcohols from natural sources (e.g., coconut-derived C8 alcohol / caprylic alcohol) | Bio-based 1-octanol derived from reduction of caprylic acid (C8 fatty acid from coconut or palm kernel oil) can substitute directly for synthetic oxo-process octanol in all applications, including plasticizers, surfactants, and pharmaceuticals. It is a drop-in replacement chemically identical to synthetic octanol. Preferred in applications requiring bio-based or natural certification (cosmetics, food-contact materials). Cost and availability are more variable than petrochemical octanol. |
| Isodecanol (C10 branched alcohol) | Substitutes for octanol in the production of acrylate and methacrylate esters used as monomers for adhesives and coatings. Isodecyl acrylate/methacrylate offers lower glass transition temperature and improved flexibility compared to octyl acrylate. Substitution requires reformulation of the monomer blend and adjustment of polymerization conditions but is practiced industrially. |
Related PetroApex Market Pages
Regulatory Status
| Region | Regulation / Policy Name | Issuing Authority | Year (enacted or latest revision) | Key Requirement / Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | TSCA - Toxic Substances Control Act | US EPA | 1976 (as amended) | Substance listed as ACTIVE under TSCA | EPA Chemicals under the TSCA |
| United States | 21 CFR 172.230 - Food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption | US FDA | 2015 | Exemption from tolerance requirement for residues of the biochemical pesticide 1-octanol in or on root and tuber vegetables; used in microcapsules for flavoring substances | Federal Register (2015-05-06); FDA |
| European Union | REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (amended by 2020/878/EU) | ECHA | 2006 (amended 2020) | Registered substance (EC No 203-917-6); no specific numerical threshold or restriction identified | ECHA REACH database; Carl Roth Safety Data Sheet |
| European Union | CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 | ECHA | 2008 (as amended) | Classification: Eye Irrit. 2 (H319); Aquatic Chronic 3 (H412) | CLP Regulation; Carl Roth Safety Data Sheet |
| International | UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods | UN | 2025 (current edition) | UN number: 1993 (Combustible liquid, n.o.s. (octan-1-ol)); Hazard class: 3; Packing group: III | UN Model Regulations; ICSC 1030 (August 2002) |
| United States | HTS Code 290516.00 - Octanol (Octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof | US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) | Current (as of 2026) | General duty rate: 3.7% | USITC HTS; Flexport tariff data |
Key Influence Events
Octanol (also known as 1-octanol or n-octanol) is a straight-chain, eight-carbon primary aliphatic alcohol with the molecular formula C8H17OH and CAS number 111-87-5. It is a colorless, oily liquid with a mild, fatty-floral odor, slightly soluble in water but miscible with most organic solvents. Commercially, octanol is produced predominantly via the oxo process (hydroformylation) of heptene fractions derived from propylene oligomerization, followed by hydrogenation of the resulting aldehyde intermediate. It is widely used as a plasticizer alcohol (notably in the production of dioctyl phthalate and other phthalate/non-phthalate plasticizers), as a solvent, as a chemical intermediate for surfactants and lubricant additives, and as a reference compound in the octanol-water partition coefficient (log Kow) used in environmental and pharmaceutical sciences.
Top Countries Production Capacity
Production Process of Octanol Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Plasticiser Demand
Octanol (also known as 1-octanol or n-octanol) is a straight-chain, eight-carbon primary aliphatic alcohol with the molecular formula C8H17OH and CAS number 111-87-5. It is a colorless, oily liquid with a mild, fatty-floral odor, slightly soluble in water but miscible with most organic solvents. Commercially, octanol is produced predominantly via the oxo process (hydroformylation) of heptene fractions derived from propylene oligomerization, followed by hydrogenation of the resulting aldehyde intermediate. It is widely used as a plasticizer alcohol (notably in the production of dioctyl phthalate and other phthalate/non-phthalate plasticizers), as a solvent, as a chemical intermediate for surfactants and lubricant additives, and as a reference compound in the octanol-water partition coefficient (log Kow) used in environmental and pharmaceutical sciences.
Specs & Grades
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade / Note |
|---|
Data Sources
Price and volume figures are derived from the directly verified public sources below. The customs unit values are USD/ton and are not subscription price assessments. Grade-level specifications are not restated here: confirm them with the supplier. Every monthly endpoint used for the series on this page is listed below, together with the EU cross-check, the exchange rate used to express it in dollars and the HS classification reference.
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202508&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202509&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202510&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202511&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202512&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202601&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202602&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202603&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202604&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202605&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202606&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202607&cmdCode=290516&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/files/v1/app/reference/HS.json
- Eurostat Comext DS-045409, EU27 extra-EU imports, monthly: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/api/comext/dissemination/statistics/1.0/data/DS-045409?format=JSON&freq=M&reporter=EU27_2020&partner=EXT_EU27_2020&flow=1&indicators=VALUE_IN_EUROS&indicators=QUANTITY_IN_100KG&product=290516&sinceTimePeriod=2025-09
- ECB euro reference rate, monthly average (EXR/M.USD.EUR.SP00.A): https://data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/data/EXR/M.USD.EUR.SP00.A?format=csvdata&startPeriod=2025-09&endPeriod=2026-09
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