Charcoal, coconut shell

Endpoint summary

Additional information

For the physico-chemical studies a coconut shell charcoal probe with a carbon content of 85.3% was chosen:

Probe 1: C-Fix = 85.3%

The results of the physico-chemical studies are summarized in Table 5.

Table5: Overview of physicochemical properties

Property	Value	Remarks
Physical state at 20°C and 101.3 kPa	dark grey, solid, flat chunks or granules	---
Melting/freezing point	Study was waived	see footnote 1
Boiling point	Study was waived	see footnote 2
Relative density	1497 kg/m^3	---
Vapour pressure	Study was waived	See footnote 3
Surface tension	Study was waived	See footnote 4
Water solubility	<1.76 mg/L (21.3 ± 0.2 °C)	For this test a different coconut shell charcoal probe was used (C-Fix = 81.85%).
Partition coefficient n-octanol / water (logKow)	-/-1.4 (negative)	---
Flash point	Study was waived	See footnote 5
Flammability	Non-flammable	---
Explosive properties	Study was waived	See footnote 6
Self-ignition temperature	195 °C	---
Oxidising properties	Study was waived	See footnote 7
Granulometry	Mean particle diameter (D50): 5.25 mm Effective size D(10): 3.52 mm	---
Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products	Study was waived	See footnote 8
Dissociation constant	Study was waived	See footnote 9
Viscosity	Study was waived	See footnote 10

 

1. Determination of the melting/freezing point cannot be determined, because the substance is thermally unstable (i.e. starts to decompose) at temperatures below the melting point. Coconut shell charcoal does not melt at a temperature below 300°C.
2. Determination of the boiling point is not needed in accordance with REACH Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006, Annex VII, 7.3, column 2 as the test substance is a solid which melts above 300°C and because it is thermally unstable (i.e. starts to decompose) at temperatures below the melting point.
3. Determination of the vapour pressure is not needed in accordance with REACH Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006, Annex VII, 7.5., column 2, as the melting point of the test substance is >300°C.
4. The surface tension study is not needed in accordance with REACH Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006, Annex VII, 7.6., column 2, as surface tension is generally a property of liquids and coconut shell charcoal is highly insoluble in water. Please, see IUCLID section 4.8 for the results of the water solubility study. Also surface activity is not expected and can’t be predicted based on the structure (largely elementary carbon).
5. The flash point is a property of liquids and is not applied to solids. Since coconut shell charcoal is solid, information on flash-point is not required (see chapter 7A, section R.7.1.9, pp115 of the ECHA guidance document on information requirements for the CSR).
6. Testing of the Explosive properties of coconut shell charcoal does not need to be conducted, as the substance does not contain chemical groups associated with explosive properties.
7. As per the REACH Regulation (EC 1907/2006), Annex VII, sub 7.13, the Oxidising properties study does not need to be conducted if the substance is incapable of reacting exothermally with combustible materials. Coconut shell charcoal is produced from non-oxidising lignocellulosic material under reducing conditions. It has therefore no oxidising functionalities. Moreover, it has a high carbon content and is itself a combustible material.
8. The study for stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products is not needed as coconut shell charcoal consists mainly of amorphous carbon. In accordance with the endpoint specific guidance (R. 7A), there are rare occasions when it is important to have information on the stability of a compound.According to REACh Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006, Annex IX, 7.1.5. column 2, testing of stability of charcoal in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products is not needed as coconut shell charcoal represents amorphous carbon that is not expected to be soluble in organic solvents. In addition, there is no reason to assume that charcoal contains reactive groups that might be associated with instability.
9. As there is no reason to assume that coconut shell charcoal charcoal is able to dissociate, the determination of the dissociation constant is no necessary. As coconut shell charcoal consists mainly of amorphous carbon, there is no reason to assume that it is able to dissociate. Hence, in accordance with endpoint specific guidance, chapter R. 7A, testing of the dissociation constant is not needed.
10. Viscosity is relevant only to liquids. Therefore, for coconut shell charcoal this determination is not required (according to guidance R.7A).

 

Based on the results of the flammability, explosiveness and oxidising properties coconut shell charcoal is not classified as being flammable, explosive or oxidising as described in the current EU-CLP regulation.

 

The test method A.16 (EC) No 440/2008 “self-ignition temperature” checks for Self heating properties. Although coconut shell charcoal is auto-flammable under the conditions of the test, the result does not lead to a classification as self-heating substance. The Self heating temperature of coconut shell charcoal has been determined (by an in ferro method with in silico correction) to be 195°C. The substance, when packaged in volumes of less than 3 m³(e.g. bigbags), is NOT CLASSIFIED as Self heating substance under the CLP and the UN rules.