Registration Dossier
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EC number: 277-135-9 | CAS number: 72968-34-4
- 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

Ecotoxicological Summary
Administrative data
Hazard for aquatic organisms
Freshwater
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Marine water
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
STP
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Sediment (freshwater)
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Sediment (marine water)
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Hazard for air
Air
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Hazard for terrestrial organisms
Soil
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no hazard identified
Hazard for predators
Secondary poisoning
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- no potential for bioaccumulation
Additional information
The pigment Zircon cadmium yellow is environmentally and biologically inert due to the characteristics of thesynthetic process (calcination at high temperatures, approximately 1000°C), rendering the substance to be of a unique, stable crystalline structure in which all atoms are tightly bound and not prone to dissolution in environmental and physiological media.Based on the resulting physico-chemical properties, especially the high insolubility of the pigment under environmental conditions, demonstrated (Klawonn, 2017) via transformation/dissolution testing (7 and 28 days), the substance can be expected to not have a potential to cross or adsorb to biological membranes. Therefore, no reversible or irreversible adverse toxicological effects on aquatic or terrestrial life-forms are expected, and a PNEC derivation is scientifically not justifiable.
Transformation/dissolution of Zircon cadmium yellow was investigated according to the method OECD test series No. 29(Guidance document on transformation/dissolution of metals and metal compounds in aqueous media). The transformation/dissolution of the pigment resulted in the following dissolved concentrations:
1 mg/L loading after 28 days:
- Cadmium: below LOD (<0.0048) and 0.2077 ± 0.0993μg/L at pH 8 and pH 6, respectively
- Zirconium: <LOD (0.0017μg/L) and 0.9241 ± 0.4349 at pH 8 and pH 6, respectively
Read-across approach:
Zircon, cadmium yellow is a zircon-type oxide/pigment with the main structural element ZrSiO4 (Zr in an dodecahedral O environment) which forms a strong and inert matrix. Zr and Si are the main components with percentages of ~46% w/w and 15% w/w respectively. The amount of Cd as component is about 2% w/w.
The read-across substanceSilicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated is a zircon-type pigment as well with an identical crystallographic structure and a very similar composition. Zr content is ~46% w/w and the Si content is ca. 14% w/w. Cd is present in about 4.7% w/w. Minor amounts of Se and S (1.53 and 1.04% w/w, respectively) are present as well.
Besides the obvious structural analogy the solubility of both pigments in aqueous and physilogical media are as follows (determination of Zr and Cd):
Solubility of Cd from the pigment Zircon, cadmium yellow in physiological media was in a range of 0.180µg/L (PBS) and 0.398 µg/L (ALF) after 2 hours. After 24 hours a dissolution range from 0.140 µg/L (GMB) - 0.722 µg/L (GST) was measured.
Solubility of Zr from the pigment Zircon, cadmium yellow in physiological media was in a range of below LODand 0.812 µg/L (ALF) after 2 hours. After 24 hours a dissolution range from below LOD (ASW) - 1.44 µg/L (ALF) was measured.
The read-across substance Silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated afforded after 2 hours a solubility for the element Cd in range of 0.07 µg/L (GMB) 2.58 µg/L (GST) and after 24 hours a solubility of 0.07 µg/L (GMB) to 6.13 µg/L (GST).
Solubility of Zr from the pigmentSilicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulatedin physiological media was in a range of below LODand 0.52 µg/L (ALF) after 2 hours. After 24 hours a dissolution range from below LOD - 1.25 µg/L (ALF) was measured.
T/D testing of the pigment Zircon, cadmium yellowafforded the following solubility at 1mg loading after 28 days:
Cadmium: below LOD (<0.0048) and 0.2077 ± 0.0993μg/L at pH 8 and pH 6, respectively
Zirconium: <LOD (0.0017μg/L) and 0.9241 ± 0.4349 at pH 8 and pH 6, respectively
T/D testing of the read-across substance Silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated afforded the following solubility at 1mg loading after 28 days:
Cadmium: 0.34 ± 0.09μg/L and 0.86 ± 0.39μg/L at pH 8 and pH 6, respectively
Zirconium: <LOQ (0.001μg/L) and <LOD at pH 8 and pH 6, respectively
In sum, the two zircon type pigments are structurally identical with very similar composition and both show a very low solubility in different artificial and aqueous media. In fact, the read-across substanceSilicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated shows slightly higher dissolution and bioaccessibility without showing any signs of systemic or local toxicity in various studies (acute inhalation, skin/eye irritation, sensitisation). No toxicity on algae, fish and invertebrates could be observed in respective studies.
Hence, read-across to Silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated is fully justified.
Read-across information
Aquatic toxicity: freshwater, short-term
The table below presents an overview of the reliable acute aquatic toxicity data available for the hazard assessment of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated.Concentrations are based on water accomodated fractions (WAF).
Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata | growth rate | 72-h EC50 | > 100 mg/L (WAF) | Wenzel, 2013 |
Daphnia magna | mortality | 48-h EC50 | 6840 mg/L (WAF) | Weyand, 2000 |
Brachydanio rerio | mortality | 96-h LC50 | > 10000 mg/L (WAF) | Weyand, 2001 |
Invertebrates:The acute toxicity to Daphnia magna was determined according to OECD Guideline 202 (Weyand, 2000). Daphnids did not become immobilized during the test period of 48 h at tested concentrations up to 4000 mg/L (water accommodated fraction-WAF); the respective 48-h EC50 is 6840 mg/L (WAF).
Fish:Information on acute fish toxicity is available from a study performed according to OECD Guideline 203. Fish (Danio rerio) were exposed for 96 hours to water accommodated fractions up to 10000 mg/L under static conditions. At all tested loadings, neither behavioral abnormalities nor mortality occurred.
Algae:The toxic effects of the water accommodated fractions of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated on the growth rate of algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) were studied in a state-of-the-art test according to OECD Guideline 201 (Wenzel, 2013). The EC50 value for the 72-h inhibition of growth rate of P. subcapitata is > 100 mg/L (WAF).
Aquatic toxicity: freshwater, long-term
The table below presents an overview of the reliable long-term aquatic toxicity data available for the hazard assessment of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated.Concentrations are based on water accomodated fractions.
Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata | growth rate | 72-h EC10 | > 100 mg/L (WAF) | Wenzel, 2013 |
Chronic toxicity data of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated are available for algae. The long-term toxic effects of the Water Accommodated Fractions (WAF) of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated on the growth rate of algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) were studied in a state-of-the-art test according to OECD Guideline 201 (Wenzel, 2013). The EC10 value for the 72-h inhibition of growth rate of P. subcapitata is > 100 mg/L (WAF).
Acute aquatic toxicity data at three trophic levels (algae, daphnia, fish) and from standard toxicity tests indicate a lack of an acute toxic potential of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated in the aquatic environment, i.e. all EC50 values are above 100 mg/L. Chronic toxicity data for algae indicate a lack of a toxicity potential of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated in the aquatic environment long-term for this trophic level which may be explained at least in parts with the insolubility of the pigment.
Thus, based on available short-term and long-term aquatic toxicity data, classification and labelling for aquatic toxicity is not required in accordance with Directive 67/548 EEC and CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (Table 4.1.0 (b) (iii)).
Conclusion on classification
Based on the high insolubility of the pigment under environmental conditions, demonstrated (Klawonn, 2017) via transformation/dissolution testing (7 and 28 days), no reversible or irreversible adverse toxicological effects on aquatic or terrestrial organisms are expected.
Chronic toxicity data of the read-across substance silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated are available for algae. The long-term toxic effects of the Water Accommodated Fractions (WAF) of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated on the growth rate of algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) were studied in a state-of-the-art test according to OECD Guideline 201 (Wenzel, 2013). The EC10 value for the 72-h inhibition of growth rate of P. subcapitata is > 100 mg/L (WAF).
Acute aquatic toxicity data of the read-across substance silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated at three trophic levels (algae, daphnia, fish) and from standard toxicity tests indicate a lack of an acute toxic potential of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated in the aquatic environment, i.e. all EC50 values are above 100 mg/L. Chronic toxicity data for algae indicate a lack of a toxicity potential of silicic acid, zirconium salt, cadmium pigment encapsulated in the aquatic environment long-term for this trophic level which may be explained at least in parts with the insolubility of the pigment.
Thus, based on available short-term and long-term aquatic toxicity data used as read-across information, classification and labelling for aquatic toxicity is not required in accordance with Directive 67/548 EEC and CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (Table 4.1.0 (b) (iii)).
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