Slags, ferrous metal, blast furnace

Additional ecotoxological information

Administrative data

Endpoint:

additional ecotoxicological information

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

1995-2000

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Guideline study using national guideline. Study meets generally accepted scientific principles. Study acceptable for assessment

Cross-reference

Reason / purpose for cross-reference:

reference to same study

Data source

Reference

Reference 1

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Physical and chemical characteristics of blast furnace, basic oxygen furnace, and electric arc furnace steel industry slags

Author:

Proctor DM, Fehling KA, Wittenborn JL, Green JJ, Avent C, RD Bigham, Connolly M, Lee B, Shepker TO, Zak MA

Year:

2000

Bibliographic source:

Environ. Sci. Technol. 34, 1576-1582.

Reference 2

Reference Type:

other: Guidance document used in this study

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

1989

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

other: ASTM 1311 Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

Deviations:

no

Principles of method if other than guideline:

US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), Office of Emergency and Remedial Response 1989 Assessment Guidance for Superfund Volume 1, Human Health Evaluation Manual Part A; interim final; EPA/540/1-89/002; US Government Printing Office: Washington, DC

GLP compliance:

not specified

Type of study / information:

Assessment by comparison of slag leachates (from acidic elution) with US TCLP screening criteria; Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund Volume 1, Human Health Evaluation Manual Part A; interim final; EPA/540/1-89/00

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Slags, ferrous metal, blast furnace

EC Number:

266-002-0

EC Name:

Slags, ferrous metal, blast furnace

Cas Number:

65996-69-2

Molecular formula:

~ Al(n)Ca(m)Mg(o)Si(p)O(3n/2+m+o+2p)

IUPAC Name:

Aluminium-Calcium-Magnesium-Silicium oxide equivalent

Details on test material:

see below for ananlytical information

Results and discussion

Any other information on results incl. tables

Comparison of metal concentrations of acidic slag leachates (TCLP) to US TCLP criteria^f

 

Metal	TCLP screening criterion^a(mg/L)	BF95% upper confidence limit (TCLP)^b	Criterion exceeded? BF
Arsenic	5	0.0048^c	no
Barium	100	1.2^d	no
Cadmium	1	0.0054^e	no
Chromium(VI)	5	0.026^c	no
Chromium (total)	5	0.22^d	no
Lead	5	ND	no
Mercury	0.2	ND	no
Selenium	1	ND	no
Silver	5	ND	no

^aASTM 1311 Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure.^b95percentile upper confidence limit.^cMaximum leachate concentration if detection frequency is less than 50%.^dMaximum concentration if exceeded by the 95percentile upper confidence limit.^elog-normal 95percentile upper confidence limit.^fTCLP, toxicity characteristics leaching potential; ND, not detected.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

Not ecotoxic

Executive summary:

Major analytical constituents of ferrous slag are aluminium, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur.

The essential elements calcium, carbon, magnesium, phosphorus and sulfur are ubiquitous in the earth´s crust and are not relevant for risk assessment (US EPA 1989).

The release of metals from the matrix into the leaching liquid was very low. In general, it was less than 0.1 % of the metals.

None of the metal concentrations in the leachates exceeded US EPA leaching threshold values for (eco)toxicity (Proctor et al. 2000).