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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Environmental fate & pathways

Adsorption / desorption

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Administrative data

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Description of key information

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Additional information

When release in the atmosphere boron trifluoride (BF3) molecules in contact with atmospheric moisture form a complex: dihydrated boron trifluoride (BF3, 2H2O). On the opposite if BF3 is directly brought into contact with water, it reacts violently. That is the reason why all the assessment of environmental fate and pathways is based on the properties of the more stable dihydrated form of boron trifluoride. Measurement of fluoride ion production over a range of pH values (1.2 to 9), using both ion chromatography and an ion-selective electrode, indicated a hydrolytic half-life time of less than 30 minutes for boron trifluoride. Subsequent analysis of boric acid by titration confirmed the rapidity of the reaction. Consequently, the risk associated to dehydrated boron trifluoride when release into water and so in contact with sediments can be assessed based upon the hazards of its breakdown products in water: boric acid and fluoboric acid So, BF3 2H2O formed in moisture air transfers into soil via dry and/or wet deposition, where in turn, in high moistured soils, it could hydrolyze in pore water. In addition, the sorption potential of boron on soils was widely described and assessed as low (European Risk Assessment of Boric acid, 2007).