Aluminum cobalt oxide

Ecotoxicological Summary

Hazard for air

Air

Hazard assessment conclusion:

no hazard identified

Hazard for terrestrial organisms

Soil

Assessment factor:

50

Extrapolation method:

assessment factor

Hazard for predators

Secondary poisoning

Hazard assessment conclusion:

no potential for bioaccumulation

Additional information

The ecotoxicity databases on the effects of soluble cobalt and aluminium compounds to aquatic, soil- and sediment-dwelling organisms are extensive. It should be noted that the environmental fate pathways and ecotoxicity effects assessments for cobalt metal and cobalt compounds as well as for aluminium metal and aluminium compounds is based on the observation that adverse effects to aquatic, soil- and sediment-dwelling organisms are a consequence of exposure to the bioavailable ion, released by the parent compound. The result of this assumption is that the ecotoxicological behaviour will be similar for all soluble cobalt and aluminium substances used in the ecotoxicity tests.

As cobalt aluminium oxide has shown to be highly insoluble with regard to the results of the transformation/dissolution test protocol (pH 6, 28 d), it can be assumed that under environmental conditions in aqueous media, the components of the substance will be present in a bioavailable form only in minor amounts, if at all. Within this dossier all available data from cobalt and aluminium substances are pooled and used for the derivation of ecotoxicological and environmental fate endpoints, based on the cobalt ion and aluminium ion. For cobalt, only data from soluble substances were available and for aluminium, both soluble and insoluble substance data were available. All data were pooled and considered as a worst-case assumption for the environment. However, it should be noted that this represents an unrealistic worst-case scenario, as under environmental conditions the concentration of soluble Co2+ and Al3+ ions released is negligible.

Conclusion on classification

Classification related key information

Water solubility: Transformation/dissolution test (28 d, OECD 29)

7 d: 0.72 µg Co/L (1 mg/L loading), < 1 µg Al/L (1 mg/L loading)

28 d: 0.6 µg Co/L (0.1 mg/L loading), 3.6 µg Co/L (1 mg/L loading), < 1 µg Al/L (0.1 and 1 mg/L loading)

Biodegradation in water: not applicable (inorganic substance)

Aquatic acute toxicity:

to fish:          96 h, LC₅₀ (Oncorhynchus mykiss):  1.406 mg Co/L, RA

to algae:       5 d, ErC₅₀ (Ditylum brightwellii):     0.3 mg Co/L, RA

to crustacea: 48 h, EC₅₀ (Daphnia magna):          1.49 mg Co/L, RA

to aquatic plants: 96 h, EC₅₀ (Spirodela polyrhiza): 0.14 mg Co/L, RA

 

Aquatic chronic toxicity:

to fish:          16 d, NOEC (Brachydanio rerio):      0.06 mg Co/L, RA

to algae:       21 d, NOErC (Chlorella vulgaris):     0.6 mg Co/L, RA

to crustacea: 21 d, NOEC (Daphnia magna):     0.03 mg Co/L, RA

 

Classification justification according to CLP

Based on the data above, there is no evidence of rapid environmental transformation of cobalt aluminium oxide.

The concentration of Co at 1 mg/L loading rate for the 7d value of the T/D test is lower than the acute Environmental Reference Value (0.14 mg Co/L). Furthermore the concentration of Co at 1 mg/L loading rate is lower than the chronic ERV (0.03 mg Co/L).

Therefore, following the “Guidance on the application of the CLP criteria, IV. Metals and inorganic metal compounds (ECHA, 2012)" according to Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 (CLP) with regard to the results of the transformation/dissolution test, cobalt aluminium oxide does not need to be classified and labelled as environmental hazard according to the Regulation (EC) No.1272/2008 (CLP) and the Regulation (EU) No. 286/2011 (2^ndATP).

 

M-factor for acute aquatic toxicity:      -
M-factor for chronic aquatic toxicity:   -

 

Classification justification according to DSD

Based on the data above, there is no evidence of rapid environmental transformation of cobalt aluminium oxide. However, for aquatic plants there is an EC50 of 0.14 mg/L available which was chosen as acute Environmental Reference Value. Valid chronic toxicity data are available - the NOEC of 0.03 mg Co/L for Daphnia was chosen as chronic Environmental Reference Value.

Therefore, cobalt aluminium oxide needs to be classified and labelled as environmental hazard N; R50/53 according to Directive 67/548/EEC.