Registration Dossier
Registration Dossier
Data platform availability banner - registered substances factsheets
Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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
Use of this information is subject to copyright laws and may require the permission of the owner of the information, as described in the ECHA Legal Notice.
EC number: 235-002-2 | CAS number: 12053-27-9
- 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
Carcinogenicity
Administrative data
Description of key information
The EFSA concluded in its recent evaluation of chromium in food and drinking water (2014):
"Cr(III) carcinogenicity has been recently addressed by the NTP in their study on Cr picolinate monohydrate (Stout et al., 2009; NTP, 2010) which contains Cr(III) chelated with three molecules of picolinic acid in order to increase the absorption of Cr(III). Chromium picolinate is widely used as dietary supplement. Chromium picolinate monohydrate studies included a 3-month toxicity study to select exposure concentrations for the 2-year studies. These studies are described below.
The study was conducted in 50 male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice exposed in feed to concentrations from 2000 to 50000 mg/kg for 2 years. A maximal concentration of 50000 mg/kg feed of chromium picolinate monohydrate was selected in order to prevent alteration of the nutritional content of the diet. There were no biologically significant changes in survival, body weight, feed consumption or the occurrence of non-neoplastic lesions in rats or mice in the 2-year studies at concentrations up to 50000 mg/kg feed. This corresponds to average daily doses of 286.2 and 313.7 mg Cr(III)/kg b.w. per day for male and female rats, respectively, and of 783.0 and 727.5 mg Cr(III)/kg b.w. per day for male and female mice, respectively. In male rats, a statistically significant increase in the incidence of preputial gland adenomas at 10000 mg/kg feed (corresponding to 54.9 mg Cr(III)/kg b.w. per day) was reported. However, the incidence of preputial gland hyperplasia was not increased at any exposure dose, neither preputial gland carcinomas were observed in exposed males. There were no increases in the incidence of clitoral gland adenomas or hyperplasia in exposed females (the clitoral gland is the female counterpart of the preputial gland). On the basis of these data the CONTAM Panel concluded that Cr(III) is not carcinogenic in experimental animals."
This conclusion is supported by the also recent ATSDR toxicological profile for chromium (2012) which concluded:
“Chronic-duration studies on oral exposure of humans to chromium(III) compounds were not identified. Several animals studies show no adverse effects associated with chronic-duration oral exposure to chromium(III) compounds (chromium acetate, chromium chloride, chromium nicotinate, chromium oxide, chromium picolinate) (Ivankovic and Preussmann 1975; Mackenzie et al. 1958; Schroeder et al. 1965; Shara et al. 2007), even at very high daily doses. Thus, in the absence of data showing adverse effects of chronic oral exposure, a chronic-duration oral MRL for chromium(III) compounds was not derived.”
The oral carcinogenicity study with chromium(III) picolinate is summarised in the repeated dose toxicity section of the dossier.
These conclusions underline the overall findings in repeated dose toxicity studies, showing no systemic effects (neoplastic or non-neoplastic) after lifetime oral exposure. It is therefore concluded that chromium(III) substances are void of any carcinogenic potential and do not require a classification in accordance with regulation (EC) 1272/2008.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Justification for classification or non-classification
Additional information
Information on Registered Substances comes from registration dossiers which have been assigned a registration number. The assignment of a registration number does however not guarantee that the information in the dossier is correct or that the dossier is compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the REACH Regulation). This information has not been reviewed or verified by the Agency or any other authority. The content is subject to change without prior notice.
Reproduction or further distribution of this information may be subject to copyright protection. Use of the information without obtaining the permission from the owner(s) of the respective information might violate the rights of the owner.