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Diss Factsheets
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EC number: 233-032-0 | CAS number: 10024-97-2
- 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
Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Link to relevant study record(s)
Description of key information
Approximately 5 % of inhaled nitrous oxide is absorbed by the organism. Nitrous oxide is hardly metabolized and is therefore exhaled unchanged.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
- Bioaccumulation potential:
- no bioaccumulation potential
- Absorption rate - inhalation (%):
- 5
Additional information
There are several data on pharmacokinetics and metabolism of nitrous oxide available which are summarised in the MAK value documentation (1993).
Pharmacokinetics
Approximately 5 % of inhaled nitrous oxide is absorbed by the organism (Eger 1974). Nitrous oxide is sparingly soluble in blood and is rapidly distributed. Its effects on the central nervous system develop quickly but do not last very long (Brodsky and Cohen 1986). After nitrous oxide anaesthesia, the gas is transferred rapidly from the blood into the alveoli where it dilutes the oxygen from inhaled air (diffusion hypoxia) (Fink 1955). Nitrous oxide is hardly metabolized and is therefore exhaled unchanged. Approximately 6.4 % of the amount taken up is eliminated via the skin (Stoelting and Eger 1969). Nitrous oxide diffuses more rapidly into body cavities such as the cerebral ventricle or middle ear than the nitrogen which they contain can leave the cavity; this can lead to increased pressure and ruptures (Brodsky and Cohen 1986). Transplacental transmission to the foetus has been demonstrated (Marx et al. 1970).
Metabolism
Nitrous oxide is reduced to nitrogen in the reaction with the central Co+ ion of vitamin B12 (Banks et al. 1968, Hong et al. 1980). After a single passage through the liver, however, the concentration of nitrous oxide in the blood decreases by only 0.03 % (Sawyer et al. 1977). It has been deduced from in-vitro investigations that about 0.004 % of the total nitrous oxide absorbed is metabolized in humans and animals to nitrogen by bacterial reductases in the intestine. During this process OH radicals are probably formed (Hong et al. 1980). Formation of radicals has been demonstrated in vitro in human intestinal contents incubated with nitrous oxide (Bösterling et al. 1980).
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.
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