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EC number: 240-898-3 | CAS number: 16872-11-0
- 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

Toxicological Summary
- Administrative data
- Workers - Hazard via inhalation route
- Workers - Hazard via dermal route
- Workers - Hazard for the eyes
- Additional information - workers
- General Population - Hazard via inhalation route
- General Population - Hazard via dermal route
- General Population - Hazard via oral route
- General Population - Hazard for the eyes
- Additional information - General Population
Administrative data
Workers - Hazard via inhalation route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- DNEL (Derived No Effect Level)
- Value:
- 173 µg/m³
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- repeated dose toxicity
- Route of original study:
- By inhalation
DNEL related information
- DNEL derivation method:
- ECHA REACH Guidance
- Overall assessment factor (AF):
- 150
- Modified dose descriptor starting point:
- NOAEC
- Value:
- 25.9 mg/m³
- Explanation for the modification of the dose descriptor starting point:
- No route-to-route extrapolation performed
- AF for dose response relationship:
- 1
- Justification:
- A factor of 1 is applied as the starting point for DNEL derivation is a NOAEL
- AF for differences in duration of exposure:
- 6
- Justification:
- Extrapolation from sub-acute to chronic exposure
- AF for interspecies differences (allometric scaling):
- 1
- Justification:
- Extrapolation is based on toxicological equivalence of a concentration of a chemical in the air of experimental animals and humans; animals and humans breathe at a rate depending on their caloric requirements.
- AF for other interspecies differences:
- 2.5
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor
- AF for intraspecies differences:
- 5
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor for workers
- AF for the quality of the whole database:
- 2
- Justification:
- An assessment factor of 2 is applied since the DNEL has been derived from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
Workers - Hazard via dermal route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- DNEL (Derived No Effect Level)
- Value:
- 46 µg/kg bw/day
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- repeated dose toxicity
- Route of original study:
- Oral
DNEL related information
- DNEL derivation method:
- ECHA REACH Guidance
- Overall assessment factor (AF):
- 600
- Modified dose descriptor starting point:
- NOAEL
- Value:
- 27.9 mg/kg bw/day
- Explanation for the modification of the dose descriptor starting point:
- No dermal study available. Conversion into dermal NOAEL assuming no difference in absorption between the oral and dermal route of exposure.
- AF for dose response relationship:
- 1
- Justification:
- A factor of 1 is applied as the starting point for DNEL derivation is a NOAEL
- AF for differences in duration of exposure:
- 6
- Justification:
- Extrapolation from sub-acute to chronic exposure
- AF for interspecies differences (allometric scaling):
- 4
- Justification:
- Assessment factor for allometric scaling in case of a study with rats
- AF for other interspecies differences:
- 2.5
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor
- AF for intraspecies differences:
- 5
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor for workers
- AF for the quality of the whole database:
- 2
- Justification:
- An assessment factor of 2 is applied since the DNEL has been derived from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Workers - Hazard for the eyes
Local effects
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Additional information - workers
According to the REACH Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment, a leading DN(M)EL needs to be derived for every relevant human population and every relevant route, duration and frequency of exposure, if feasible.
Short-term toxicity
According to the REACH guideline (R8, Appendix R 8-8), a DNEL for acute toxicity should be derived if an acute toxicity hazard (leading to C&L) has been identified and there is a potential risk for high peak exposures. However, due to corrosive properties of tetrafluoroboric acid, no data is available on the acute toxicity and sensitization of tetrafluoroboric acidand therefore no DNEL could be derived.
Long-term toxicity
No repeated dose studies on tetrafluoroboric acid were available. Furthermore, since the test substance is corrosive, testing of tetrafluoroboric acid will result in unnecessary suffering for the animal. Article 13 of the REACH legislation states that, in case no appropriate animal studies are available for assessment, information should be generated whenever possible by means other than vertebrate animal tests, i. e. applying alternative methods such as in vitro tests, QSARs, grouping and read-across. Therefore, information from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate was used to determine the possible effects of tetrafluoroboric acid after repeated exposure. The toxicity upon repeated exposure was examined in three studies in rats; two subacute oral toxicity studies and one subacute inhalation toxicity study. Based on the adverse effects observed in these studies, the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for potassium tetrafluoroborate was 40 mg/kg body weight for oral exposure (i.e. the lowest dose tested in the reproduction/developmental toxicity screening study; the NOAEL in the other oral study was 320 mg/kg body weight) and 72 mg/m3for inhalation exposure.
Reproductive and developmental toxicity effects
Also no reproduction toxicity studies on tetrafluoroboric acid were available. The reproductive and developmental toxicity NOAELs obtained in the oral reproduction/developmental toxicity screening study with potassium tetrafluoroborate are at the same or higher level as the above NOAEL for repeated dose oral toxicity. Therefore, the DNEL derived for repeated dose oral toxicity will also cover reproductive and developmental toxic effects. No specific DNELs will be derived for the latter endpoints
DNEL derivation
For short-term toxicity and local effects, no DNEL could be derived since no data is available due to the corrosive properties of tetrafluoroboric acid. For long-term toxicity, DNELs have been derived from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate. Regarding systemic effects, a NOAEL of 40 mg/kg body weight for oral exposure and 72 mg/m3 for inhalation exposure have been used to derive the DNELs. The default absorption values from the REACH guidance (Chapter 8, R.8.4.2) are used for DNEL derivation, namely: 100% for inhalation, 50% for oral and 50% for dermal absorption. Since only a sub-acute oral and inhalation toxicity study is available a route-to-route extrapolation is needed to derive the DNELs for the dermal route.
Since HBF4 is a corrosive substance, exposure of the skin to HBF4 will be quickly noticed by workers, leading to washing / rinsing of the skin and long-term dermal exposure is not very likely to occur. Therefore, the derived DNEL for systemic effects only applies to preparations in which HBF4 is present in concentrations below the corrosivity threshold, where the direct corrosive effects will not be directly noticed by workers.
Worker DNELs
Long-term
Long-term – inhalation, systemic effects (based on sub-acute inhalation toxicity study with rats)
Description |
Value |
Remark |
Step 1) Relevant dose-descriptor |
NOAEC: 74 mg/m3 |
Based on impaired growth and reduced food intake. |
Step 2) Modification of starting point |
KBF4: 125.91 g/mol HBF4: 87.81 g/mol
0.75
0.67
|
Correction for molecular weight
Correction for duration of exposure (6 hour to 8 hour exposure)
Correction for activity driven differences of respiratory volumes in workers compared to workers in rest. |
Modified dose-descriptor |
74 * (87.81 / 125.91) * 0.75 * 0.67 = 25.9 mg/ m3 |
|
Step 3) Assessment factors |
|
|
Interspecies |
2.5 |
For inhalation studies only a factor 2.5 is used, and no correction is made for differences in body size, because extrapolation is based on toxicological equivalence of a concentration of a chemical in the air of experimental animals and humans; animals and humans breathe at a rate depending on their caloric requirements. |
Intraspecies |
5 |
Default assessment factor for workers |
Exposure duration |
6 |
Extrapolation to chronic exposure based on a sub-acute toxicity study |
Dose response |
1 |
|
Quality of database |
2 |
Read-across |
DNEL |
Value |
|
|
25.9 / (2.5 x 5 x 6 x 1 x 2) = 25.9 / 150 = 173µg/m3 |
Long-term – dermal, systemic effects (based on sub-acute oral toxicity study with rats)
Description |
Value |
Remark |
Step 1) Relevant dose-descriptor |
NOAEL: 40 mg/kg bw/day |
Based on reduced body weight and food consumption at the next higher dose (116.5 mg/kg bw). |
Step 2) Modification of starting point |
KBF4: 125.91 g/mol HBF4: 87.81 g/mol
|
Correction for molecular weight |
Modified dose-descriptor |
40 * (87.81 / 125.91) = 27.9 mg/kg bw |
|
Step 3) Assessment factors |
|
|
Interspecies |
4 x 2.5 |
Default assessment factors for allometric scaling and remaining interspecies differences |
Intraspecies |
5 |
Default assessment factor for workers |
Exposure duration |
6 |
Extrapolation to chronic exposure based on a sub-acute toxicity study |
Dose response |
1 |
|
Quality of database |
2 |
Read-across |
DNEL |
Value |
|
|
27.9 / (4 x 2.5 x 5 x 6 x 1 x 2) = 27.9 / 600 =46 µg/kg bw/day |
General Population - Hazard via inhalation route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- DNEL (Derived No Effect Level)
- Value:
- 43 µg/m³
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- repeated dose toxicity
- Route of original study:
- By inhalation
DNEL related information
- DNEL derivation method:
- ECHA REACH Guidance
- Overall assessment factor (AF):
- 300
- Modified dose descriptor starting point:
- NOAEC
- Value:
- 12.9 mg/m³
- Explanation for the modification of the dose descriptor starting point:
- No route-to-route extrapolation performed
- AF for dose response relationship:
- 1
- Justification:
- A factor of 1 is applied as the starting point for DNEL derivation is a NOAEL
- AF for differences in duration of exposure:
- 6
- Justification:
- Extrapolation from sub-acute to chronic exposure
- AF for interspecies differences (allometric scaling):
- 1
- Justification:
- Extrapolation is based on toxicological equivalence of a concentration of a chemical in the air of experimental animals and humans; animals and humans breathe at a rate depending on their caloric requirements.
- AF for other interspecies differences:
- 2.5
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor
- AF for intraspecies differences:
- 10
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor for general population
- AF for the quality of the whole database:
- 2
- Justification:
- An assessment factor of 2 is applied since the DNEL has been derived from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
General Population - Hazard via dermal route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- DNEL (Derived No Effect Level)
- Value:
- 23 µg/kg bw/day
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- repeated dose toxicity
- Route of original study:
- Oral
DNEL related information
- DNEL derivation method:
- ECHA REACH Guidance
- Overall assessment factor (AF):
- 1 200
- Modified dose descriptor starting point:
- NOAEL
- Value:
- 27.9 mg/kg bw/day
- Explanation for the modification of the dose descriptor starting point:
- No dermal study available. Conversion into dermal NOAEL assuming no difference in absorption between the oral and dermal route of exposure.
- AF for dose response relationship:
- 1
- Justification:
- A factor of 1 is applied as the starting point for DNEL derivation is a NOAEL
- AF for differences in duration of exposure:
- 6
- Justification:
- Extrapolation from sub-acute to chronic exposure
- AF for interspecies differences (allometric scaling):
- 4
- Justification:
- Assessment factor for allometric scaling in case of a study with rats
- AF for other interspecies differences:
- 2.5
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor
- AF for intraspecies differences:
- 10
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor for general population
- AF for the quality of the whole database:
- 2
- Justification:
- An assessment factor of 2 is applied since the DNEL has been derived from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
General Population - Hazard via oral route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- DNEL (Derived No Effect Level)
- Value:
- 23 µg/kg bw/day
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- repeated dose toxicity
- Route of original study:
- Oral
DNEL related information
- DNEL derivation method:
- ECHA REACH Guidance
- Overall assessment factor (AF):
- 1 200
- Modified dose descriptor starting point:
- NOAEL
- Value:
- 27.9 mg/kg bw/day
- Explanation for the modification of the dose descriptor starting point:
- No route-to-route extrapolation performed
- AF for dose response relationship:
- 1
- Justification:
- A factor of 1 is applied as the starting point for DNEL derivation is a clear NOAEL
- AF for differences in duration of exposure:
- 6
- Justification:
- Extrapolation for sub-acute to chronic study
- AF for interspecies differences (allometric scaling):
- 2.5
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor
- AF for other interspecies differences:
- 4
- Justification:
- Assessment factor for allometric scaling in case of a study with rats
- AF for intraspecies differences:
- 10
- Justification:
- Default assessment factor for general population
- AF for the quality of the whole database:
- 2
- Justification:
- An assessment factor of 2 is applied since the DNEL has been derived from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
General Population - Hazard for the eyes
Local effects
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Additional information - General Population
According to the REACH Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment, a leading DN(M)EL needs to be derived for every relevant human population and every relevant route, duration and frequency of exposure, if feasible.
Short-term toxicity
According to the REACH guideline (R8, Appendix R 8-8), a DNEL for acute toxicity should be derived if an acute toxicity hazard (leading to C&L) has been identified and there is a potential risk for high peak exposures. However, due to corrosive properties of tetrafluoroboric acid, no data is available on the acute toxicity and sensitization of tetrafluoroboric acidand therefore no DNEL could be derived.
Long-term toxicity
No repeated dose studies on tetrafluoroboric acid were available. Furthermore, since the test substance is corrosive, testing of tetrafluoroboric acid will result in unnecessary suffering for the animal. Article 13 of the REACH legislation states that, in case no appropriate animal studies are available for assessment, information should be generated whenever possible by means other than vertebrate animal tests, i. e. applying alternative methods such as in vitro tests, QSARs, grouping and read-across. Therefore, information from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate was used to determine the possible effects of tetrafluoroboric acid after repeated exposure. The toxicity upon repeated exposure was examined in three studies in rats; two subacute oral toxicity studies and one subacute inhalation toxicity study. Based on the adverse effects observed in these studies, the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for potassium tetrafluoroborate was 40 mg/kg body weight for oral exposure (i.e. the lowest dose tested in the reproduction/developmental toxicity screening study; the NOAEL in the other oral study was 320 mg/kg body weight) and 72 mg/m3 for inhalation exposure.
Reproductive and developmental toxicity effects
Also no reproduction toxicity studies on tetrafluoroboric acid were available. The reproductive and developmental toxicity NOAELs obtained in the oral reproduction/developmental toxicity screening study with potassium tetrafluoroborate are at the same or higher level as the above NOAEL for repeated dose oral toxicity. Therefore, the DNEL derived for repeated dose oral toxicity will also cover reproductive and developmental toxic effects. No specific DNELs will be derived for the latter endpoints
DNEL derivation
For short-term toxicity and local effects, no DNEL could be derived since no data is available due to the corrosive properties of tetrafluoroboric acid. For long-term toxicity, DNELs have been derived from the structural analogue potassium tetrafluoroborate. Regarding systemic effects, a NOAEL of40 mg/kg body weight for oral exposure and 72 mg/m3 for inhalation exposure have been used to derive the DNELs. The default absorption values from the REACH guidance (Chapter 8, R.8.4.2) are used for DNEL derivation, namely: 100% for inhalation, 50% for oral and 50% for dermal absorption. Since only a sub-acute oral and inhalation toxicity study is available a route-to-route extrapolation is needed to derive the DNELs for the dermal route.
Since HBF4 is a corrosive substance, exposure of the skin to HBF4 will be quickly noticed, leading to washing / rinsing of the skin and long-term dermal exposure is not very likely to occur. Therefore, the derived DNEL for systemic effects only applies to preparations in which HBF4 is present in concentrations below the corrosivity threshold, where the direct corrosive effects will not be directly noticed.
General population DNELs
Long-term
Long-term – inhalation, systemic effects (based on sub-acute inhalation toxicity study with rats)
Description |
Value |
Remark |
Step 1) Relevant dose-descriptor |
NOAEC: 74 mg/m3 |
Based on impaired growth and reduced food intake. |
Step 2) Modification of starting point |
KBF4: 125.91 g/mol HBF4: 87.81 g/mol
0.25 |
Correction for molecular weight
Correction for duration of exposure (6 hour to 24 hour exposure) |
Modified dose-descriptor |
74 *(87.81 / 125.91) *0.25 = 12.9 mg/m3 |
|
Step 3) Assessment factors |
|
|
Interspecies |
2.5 |
For inhalation studies only a factor 2.5 is used, and no correction is made for differences in body size, because extrapolation is based on toxicological equivalence of a concentration of a chemical in the air of experimental animals and humans; animals and humans breathe at a rate depending on their caloric requirements. |
Intraspecies |
10 |
Default assessment factor for general population |
Exposure duration |
6 |
Extrapolation to chronic exposure based on a sub-acute toxicity study |
Dose response |
1 |
|
Quality of database |
2 |
Read-across |
DNEL |
Value |
|
|
12.9 / (2.5 x 10 x 6 x 1 x 2) = 12.9 / 300 =43µg/m3 |
Long-term – dermal, systemic effects (based on sub-acute oral toxicity study with rats)
Description |
Value |
Remark |
Step 1) Relevant dose-descriptor |
NOAEL: 40 mg/kg bw/day |
Based on reduced body weight and food consumption at the next higher dose (116.5 mg/kg bw). |
Step 2) Modification of starting point |
KBF4: 125.91 g/mol HBF4: 87.81 g/mol |
Correction for molecular weight |
Modified dose-descriptor |
40 * (87.81 / 125.91) = 27.9 mg/kg bw |
|
Step 3) Assessment factors |
|
|
Interspecies |
4 x 2.5 |
Default assessment factors for allometric scaling and remaining interspecies differences |
Intraspecies |
10 |
Default assessment factor for general population |
Exposure duration |
6 |
Extrapolation to chronic exposure based on a sub-acute toxicity study |
Dose response |
1 |
|
Quality of database |
2 |
Read-across |
DNEL |
Value |
|
|
27.9 / (4 x 2.5 x 10 x 6 x 1 x 2) = 27.9 / 1200 =23 µg/kg bw/day |
Long-term – oral, systemic effects (based on sub-acute oral toxicity study with rats)
Description |
Value |
Remark |
Step 1) Relevant dose-descriptor |
NOAEL: 40 mg/kg bw/day |
Based on reduced body weight and food consumption at the next higher dose (116.5 mg/kg bw). |
Step 2) Modification of starting point |
KBF4: 125.91 g/mol HBF4: 87.81 g/mol |
Correction for molecular weight |
Modified dose-descriptor |
40 *(87.81 / 125.91)= 27.9mg/kg bw |
|
Step 3) Assessment factors |
|
|
Interspecies |
4 x 2.5 |
Default assessment factors for allometric scaling and remaining interspecies differences |
Intraspecies |
10 |
Default assessment factor for general population |
Exposure duration |
6 |
Extrapolation to chronic exposure based on a sub-acute toxicity study |
Dose response |
1 |
|
Quality of database |
2 |
Read-across |
DNEL |
Value |
|
|
27.9 / (4 x 2.5 x 10 x 6 x 1 x 2) = 27.9 / 1200 =23 µg/kg bw/day |
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.
Reproduction or further distribution of this information may be subject to copyright protection. Use of the information without obtaining the permission from the owner(s) of the respective information might violate the rights of the owner.
