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EC number: 246-140-8 | CAS number: 24304-00-5
- 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

Ecotoxicological Summary
Administrative data
Hazard for aquatic organisms
Freshwater
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- PNEC aqua (freshwater)
- PNEC value:
- 1.98 µg/L
- Assessment factor:
- 10
- Extrapolation method:
- assessment factor
- PNEC freshwater (intermittent releases):
- 1.98 µg/L
Marine water
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- PNEC aqua (marine water)
- PNEC value:
- 0.2 µg/L
- Assessment factor:
- 100
- Extrapolation method:
- assessment factor
STP
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- PNEC STP
- PNEC value:
- 1 mg/L
- Assessment factor:
- 10
- Extrapolation method:
- assessment factor
Sediment (freshwater)
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Sediment (marine water)
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Hazard for air
Air
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Hazard for terrestrial organisms
Soil
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Hazard for predators
Secondary poisoning
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no potential for bioaccumulation
Additional information
Conclusion on classification
Aluminium nitride (AlN) undergoes hydrolysis in contact with water, with a reaction half-life of 22 h. Hydrolysis results in formation of ammonia (NH3) and aluminium hydroxide, which is very poorly soluble. However, incomplete precipitation of the aluminium released during hydrolysis leads to generation of dissolved aluminium ions, as demonstrated in a transformation/dissolution (T/D) test (OECD Series on Testing and Assessment No 29). A loading rate of 100 mg AlN/L results in a dissolved Al3 + concentration of ca. 1 mg/L (exact value: 1087 µg/L) after 7 days. Concurrently, 2 mg NH3/L were measured. Accordingly, both ionic aluminium and ammonia need to be considered for classifying aluminium nitride.
Classification for acute aquatic hazards
Soluble aluminium salts used for read-across of environmental effects (AlCl3, Al2(SO4)3, Al(NO3)3) are not classified for acute aquatic hazards. Therefore, classification of AlN acute aquatic hazards based on its aluminium content is not necessary.
Ammonia (CAS No 7664-41-7) has a harmonised classification for environmental hazards according to Annex VI of Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 as “Aquatic Acute 1 (H400)” due to EC50 values in acute aquatic toxicity tests of < 1 mg/L. From AlN, NH3 is released relatively slowly, reaching a maximum concentration of 2 mg/L total NH3 after 7 days in the T/D-test at the maximum loading rate of 100 mg/L. Information that would allow linking the classification of ammonia to concentration levels relevant for classification of AlN is not available. Therefore, and due to the relatively low release rate, classification of AlN for acute aquatic hazards based on the formation of NH3 is not possible.
Test results on short-term effects to aquatic organisms by aluminium nitride itself are not available. Read-across from other aluminium salts and from ammonia, as detailed above, suggests that AlN need not be classified for acute aquatic hazards.
Classification for chronic aquatic hazards
The most conservative chronic no-observed effect concentration (NOEC) of aluminium ions (Al3+) is 13 µg/L (0.013 mg/L). Back-calculated to aluminium nitride (M (Al) = 40.989 g/mol, M (N) = 26.982 g/mol), this results in a substance-based NOEC of 0.020 mg/L. Aluminium release from AlN may lead to dissolved Al3 + concentrations of up to 1 mg/L, which is above the NOEC. Aluminium, as an element, cannot be further degraded hence needs to be considered as not rapidly degradable. Therefore, the criterion of Regulation (EU) Mo 1272/2008 for classifying as “Aquatic Chronic 1, H410” is fulfilled (not rapidly degradable, chronic NOEC ≤ 0.1 mg/L)
For ammonia, there is no harmonised classification for chronic aquatic hazards. However, joint entries into the CLP inventory claim a classification as “Aquatic Chronic 2, H411”. This is based on presumed rapid degradability (NH3, as a central element of the bio-geochemical nitrogen cycle, is constantly incorporated into biomass) and a lowest aquatic NOEC of 0.022 mg/L. Back-calculated to aluminium nitride (M (Al) = 40.989 g/mol, M (N) = 26.982 g/mol), this results in a substance-based NOEC of 0.05 mg/L. Ammonia release from AlN may lead to dissolved total NH3concentrations of up to 2 mg/L, which is above the NOEC. Therefore, the criterion of Regulation (EU) Mo 1272/2008 for classifying as “Aquatic Chronic 2, H411” is fulfilled (rapidly degradable, chronic NOEC > 0.01 to ≤ 0.1 mg/L)
Overall, the available data on the hydrolysis products of AlN suggest that aluminium nitride should be classified as “Aquatic Chronic 1, H410” (very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects).
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