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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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:
PNEC aqua (freshwater)
PNEC value:
0.015 mg/L
Assessment factor:
1 000
Extrapolation method:
assessment factor

Marine water

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC aqua (marine water)
PNEC value:
0.002 mg/L
Assessment factor:
10 000
Extrapolation method:
assessment factor

STP

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC STP
PNEC value:
4.9 mg/L
Assessment factor:
100
Extrapolation method:
assessment factor

Sediment (freshwater)

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no data available: testing technically not feasible

Sediment (marine water)

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no data available: testing technically not feasible

Hazard for air

Air

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no hazard identified

Hazard for terrestrial organisms

Soil

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no data available: testing technically not feasible

Hazard for predators

Secondary poisoning

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no potential to cause toxic effects if accumulated (in higher organisms) via the food chain

Additional information

Reliable (Klimisch 1 or 2) studies are available for acute toxicity to fish (rainbow trout) and crustacea (Daphnia magna and brown shrimp) for calcium nitrite, and for algal growth inhibition and microorganism respiration inhibition for the structural analogue sodium nitrite. The most sensitive trophic level based on acute data is Daphnia magna and this result is used in order to determine the environmental classification of calcium nitrite.

Conclusion on classification

In accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 (CLP), a substance should be classified as an acute aquatic hazard if the 96-hr LC50 for fish, the 72- or 96-hr EC50 for algae, or the 48-hr EC50 for crustaceans is 1 mg/L or less. The reliable short-term toxicity value (LC50/EC50) of calcium nitrite to aquatic invertebrates (Daphnia magna) is 15.3 mg/L (45 mg/L for a 34% solution; Kelly, 1996b) while the short-term toxicity values for calcium nitrite or the read-across compound sodium nitrite to aquatic species for the remaining trophic levels (as well as for brown shrimp) are somewhat higher (JAFA, 2005; Kelly, 1996a; Kelly, 1996c). Therefore, calcium nitrite does not require classification as an acute aquatic hazard under CLP.

The only available chronic aquatic toxicity data is a 72-hr NOEC of 100 mg/L from an algal growth inhibition study on the related substance sodium nitrite [96.1 mg calcium nitrite/L] (JAFA, 2005) [equivalent to about 96.1 mg calcium nitrite/L]. Under CLP, when chronic data are available for only one trophic level, the chronic classification is assessed on the basis of both the acute and chronic data (and with a consideration of biodegradability), with the most stringent classification applied. Biodegradation is not considered to be a relevant endpoint for calcium nitrite (this test method is not technically feasible for inorganics). As such, calcium nitrite does not require classification as a chronic aquatic hazard under CLP.