Registration Dossier

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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Administrative data

Hazard for aquatic organisms

Freshwater

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no hazard identified

Marine water

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no hazard identified

STP

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no hazard identified

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

Available data indicate that aluminium salts are relatively non toxic and this was sufficient for the EU Classification and Labelling Committee to determine that there was no need for classification of aluminium chloride.

Aluminium ions released to surface waters quickly form insoluble aluminium hydroxides in mixing zones. These colloids can sorb to fish gills resulting in asphyxiation and mortality in rare circumstances. Formation of the complex hydroxide causes the aluminium to drop out of solution very rapidly in neutral and alkaline waters. The accumulation of aluminium on the fish gill results in physical effects. Aluminium has complex redox chemistry and in very special conditions, transient aluminium species can be formed that cause toxicity. These conditions however are not typical of most ambient conditions and are more representative of specific mixing zones. In ambient conditions, the dissolved natural background concentrations of aluminium, in most cases, are at equilibrium therefore an addition of aluminium would lead to the precipitation of aluminium compounds from solution and not result in effects to aquatic life. We conclude that a PNEC is not required for REACH. However, the aluminium industry is continuing its efforts to develop a PNEC for freshwater ecosystems for purposes of the Water Framework Directive.