Zinc dipropionate

PBT assessment

PBT assessment: overall result

Reference

Name:

Zinc dipropionate

Type of composition:

boundary composition of the substance

State / form:

solid: bulk

Reference substance:

Zinc dipropionate

PBT status:

PBT assessment does not apply

Justification:

Zinc dipropionate is a metal carboxylate. Metal carboxylates are inorganic salts consisting of metal cations and carboxylic acid anions. Based on the solubility of zinc dipropionate in water, a complete dissociation resulting in zinc and propionate ions may be assumed under environmental conditions. The respective dissociation is in principle reversible and the ratio of the salt /dissociated ions is dependent on the metal-ligand dissociation constant of the salt, the composition of the solution and its pH. However, under environmental conditions, a reunion of the dissociated ions is highly unlikely and it may reasonable be assumed that the respective behaviour of the dissociated zinc cations and propionate anions in the environment determine the fate of zinc dipropionate upon dissolution with regard to (bio)degradation, bioaccumulation, partitioning resulting in a different relative distribution in environmental compartments (water, air, sediment and soil) and subsequently its (eco)toxicological potential.

In the assessment of environmental fate of zinc dipropionate, read-across to the assessment entities soluble zinc substances and propionate is applied since the ions of zinc dipropionate determine its environmental fate. Since zinc ions and propionate ions behave differently in the environment, in respect of stability, degradation, transport and distribution, a separate assessment of the environmental fate of each assessment entity is performed. Please refer to the data as submitted for each individual assessment entity.

Zinc dipropionate:

According to Annex XIII of Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 a PBT and vPvB assessment shall not be conducted for inorganic substances. Zinc dipropionate is an inorganic substance in accordance with the definitions of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) because of its ionic structure (cf. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), (2005): Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry. Issued by the Division of Chemical Nomenclature and Structure Representation in collaboration with the Division of Inorganic Chemistry), thus a PBT and vPvB assessment is not required.

Inorganic moiety zinc:

According to Annex XIII of Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 a PBT and vPvB assessment shall not be conducted for inorganic substances. The zinc moiety is inorganic, thus a PBT and vPvB assessment is not required.

Organic moiety propionate:

Regarding all available data on biotic and abiotic degradation, bioaccumulation and toxicity it can be stated that the moiety propionate does not fulfill the PBT criteria (not PBT) and not the vPvB criteria (not vPvB).