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EC number: 231-106-7 | CAS number: 7439-97-6
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data
Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
Oral:
- key study: NTP (1993)
- supportive data: Jonker (1993)
Dermal:
- Review EuroChlor 2009 (see discussion)
- weight of evidence of two human reports (Barr_1972 and Dyall-Smith_1990), see section 7.10.3
Inhalation:
- Review EuroChlor 2009 (see discussion)
- weight of evidence of three human reports (Ellingsen_2000a,b and Ellingsen 2001), see section 7.10.3
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Repeated dose toxicity: via oral route - systemic effects
Endpoint conclusion
- Dose descriptor:
- LOAEL
- 0.312 mg/kg bw/day
- Study duration:
- subchronic
- Species:
- rat
Additional information
Repeated dose toxicity, oral:
Data on repeated dose toxicity by the oral route in animals are available. In a NTP study, mice and rats were administered orally by gavage for 2 weeks, 26 weeks or 2 years. Another nephrotoxicity study with dietary administration over 4 weeks is described. The lowest LOAEL of 0.312 mg HgCl2/kg bw/d (0.23 mg Hg/kg bw/d) was identified in the 26-week NTP study in rats based on effects on kidney weights and nephropathy. Results from the subsequent 2-year carcinogenicity study in rats revealed the lowest dose level of 2.5 mg/kg bw/d HgCl2(1.9 mg Hg/kg bw/d) representing also only a LOAEL based on morphological changes of nephropathy.
Repeated dose toxicity, dermal:
However, there is almost no information available on systemic toxicity resulting from repeated dermal exposure of animals. The evaluation of human literature revealed some information about clinical findings in subjects using skin lightening creams containing mercuric ammonium chloride. It could be concluded that an urinary mercury concentration of 29 µg/l (range 0 -90 µg/l) must be regarded as a LOAEL based on established mercury induced nephrotic syndrom.
However, absorption through the skin is very limited[“... a very small amount of mercury (about 2% of what is taken up by the lungs) enters the body through the skin”], and thus systemic toxicity following repeated dermal exposure appears to be not of major concern.
Repeated dose toxicity, inhalation:
The biological effects of long-time low to moderate exposures to metallic mercury vapours under occupational settings were evaluated in depth by EuroChlor (2009):
It was concluded that with the exception of urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamidase (NAG) form the proximal tubular kidney cells it seems from the review of scientific literature that effects on the central nervous system are the most sensitive indicator of Hg toxicity. It is considered that the toxic effects from high level exposure are sufficiently well known. Sufficient knowledge for defining reasonably tenable occupational exposure limits also seems to be in place. This is based on recent epidemiological studies on cohorts under current or historical low level exposures. The conclusion of the author of this review, putting a particular emphasis on the latest Ellingsen et al studies encompassing the magnitude of reversibility after cessation or reduction of exposure, there are reasons to support a NOAEL (no adverse effect level) of 30 μg Hg/g creatinine.
Repeated dose toxicity: via oral route - systemic effects (target organ) urogenital: kidneys
Justification for classification or non-classification
Information on Registered Substances comes from registration dossiers which have been assigned a registration number. The assignment of a registration number does however not guarantee that the information in the dossier is correct or that the dossier is compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the REACH Regulation). This information has not been reviewed or verified by the Agency or any other authority. The content is subject to change without prior notice.
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