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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Environmental fate & pathways

Endpoint summary

Administrative data

Description of key information

Additional information

Potassium oxide has not bioaccumulation potential.

Potassium is essential constituent and one of the most abundant ions in all animal species. In adult humans, the total body potassium is approx. 3.5 mol (135 g). 98 % of this is located intracellular (150 mmol/l), the extracellular potassium concentration is approx. 4 mmol/l.

Oxygen is the most abundant chemical element by mass in the Earth's biosphere, air, sea and land. Oxygen is the third most abundant chemical element in the universe, after hydrogen and helium

Both K+ and O- ions are normal constituents of the body fluids. K+ plays an essential role in the human physiology but starts to be toxic at levels exceeding 200 – 250 mg/l. Its concentration in the blood is regulated principally by renal excretion/reabsorption and controlled by an efficient feedback auto-regulation system. An excessive pH of the blood is prevented by the bicarbonate buffer system, respiration and renal compensation mechanisms.

Bioconcentration/bioaccumulation was estimated using QSAR estimation software (EPISUITE v4.1 BCFBAF v3.01), in accordance with REACH Annex XI. The estimated log BCF is 0.5 (BCF = 3.16 L/kg wet-wt) using the regression-based method.

The estimated log BAF is -0.05 (BAF = 0.894 L/kg wet-wt) using the Arnot-Gobas upper trophic method.