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Diss Factsheets

Toxicological information

Repeated dose toxicity: inhalation

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Administrative data

Endpoint:
short-term repeated dose toxicity: inhalation
Type of information:
migrated information: read-across from supporting substance (structural analogue or surrogate)
Adequacy of study:
key study
Study period:
no data
Reliability:
2 (reliable with restrictions)
Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
other: see 'Remark'
Remarks:
Well documented, scientifically sound study that is similar to OECD 412 "Repeated Dose Inhalation Toxicity: 28-day or 14-day study" guideline with the following deviations: (1) only one dose was used rather than 3; (2) 2 dogs, 6 Rabbits, and 20 rats (sex not provided) were exposed rather than 5 animals/sex/dose; (3) complete list of tissues examined for gross and histopathology were not provided; (4) no urinalysis or clinical chemistry parameters were examined
Cross-reference
Reason / purpose for cross-reference:
reference to same study

Data source

Reference
Reference Type:
publication
Title:
Inhalation Toxicity of Zirconium Compounds: Short-Term Studies
Author:
Spiegl, C.J., M.C. Calkins, J.J. DeVoldre, J.K. Scott
Year:
1956
Bibliographic source:
Atomic Energy Commission Project, Rep. No. UR-460, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY; pages 1-26

Materials and methods

Test guideline
Qualifier:
equivalent or similar to guideline
Guideline:
OECD Guideline 412 (Subacute Inhalation Toxicity: 28-Day Study)
Deviations:
yes
Remarks:
see rationale for reliability
GLP compliance:
no
Limit test:
no

Test material

Constituent 1
Reference substance name:
Zirconium dioxide
EC Number:
215-227-2
EC Name:
Zirconium dioxide
Cas Number:
1314-23-4
IUPAC Name:
1314-23-4
Details on test material:
- Name of test material (as cited in study report): Zirconium oxide ZrO2
- Physical state: Dust
- Impurities (identity and concentrations): Al (0.026%), B (trace), Ba (0.062%), Ca (0.071%), Cr (trace), Cu (0.008%), Fe (0.049%), Mg (0.16%), Si (< 0.47%), Ti (0.18%)

Test animals

Species:
other: dog, rabbit, rat
Strain:
not specified
Sex:
not specified

Administration / exposure

Route of administration:
inhalation: dust
Type of inhalation exposure:
whole body
Vehicle:
other: no data
Remarks on MMAD:
MMAD / GSD: Mass median particle diameter: 1.5 microns
Details on inhalation exposure:
GENERATION OF TEST ATMOSPHERE / CHAMBER DESCRIPTION
- Exposure apparatus: copper-lined chamber constructed of wood with observation windows on three sides, 6 x 8 x 6 ft high and volume of 288 cubic feet.
- Method of conditioning air: A centrally located duct in the ceiling of the chamber served as the inlet for the test substance. Baffles below the inlet and two fans near the ceiling dispersed the test substance and distributed the test substance uniformly throughout the chamber. In the four bottom corners were outlets connected to an exhaust system. Air turnover during exposure was approximately 140 cfm or one change every two minutes with no recycling.
- System of generating particulates/aerosols: Wright dust feed.
- Temperature, humidity, pressure in air chamber: 74 +/- 3 degrees F; 47% +/- 6%; few hundredths of an inch of water less than atmospheric pressure.
- Air flow rate: 140 cfm or one change every two minutes.
- Method of particle size determination: test substance was twice ground in a Mikropulverizer to a mean bulk particle size.
- Treatment of exhaust air: not recycled


TEST ATMOSPHERE
- Brief description of analytical method used: Hourly samples were taken with a filter paper sampler and weighed on an analytical balance, spectrographic analysis of each day's accumulation of filter paper samples was used to verify the weight-samples and to make such slight adjustments in concentration results as might occasionally arise from varying amounts of nuisance dust.
- Samples taken from breathing zone: yes, hourly


Analytical verification of doses or concentrations:
yes
Details on analytical verification of doses or concentrations:
Hourly samples were taken with a filter paper sampler and weighed on an analytical balance, spectrographic analysis of each day's accumulation of filter paper samples was used to verify the weight-samples and to make such slight adjustments in concentration results as might occasionally arise from varying amounts of nuisance dust.
Duration of treatment / exposure:
30 days
Frequency of treatment:
6 hours/day 5 days/week
Doses / concentrations
Remarks:
Doses / Concentrations:
75 mg Zr/m3
Basis:
analytical conc.
No. of animals per sex per dose:
Dog 2 (sex not known)
Rabbit 6 (sex not known)
Rat 20 (sex not known)
Control animals:
other: yes, only control rabbits and rats were used

Examinations

Observations and examinations performed and frequency:
CAGE SIDE OBSERVATIONS: Yes
- Time schedule: No data

BODY WEIGHT: Yes
- Time schedule for examinations: No data


OPHTHALMOSCOPIC EXAMINATION: No

HAEMATOLOGY: Yes
- Time schedule for collection of blood: weekly
- Animals fasted: No data
- How many animals: 2 dogs
- Parameters: Red blood cell and differential white cell counts, as well as determinations of hemoglobin, mean corpuscular cell volume and clotting time

CLINICAL CHEMISTRY: No

URINALYSIS: No

NEUROBEHAVIOURAL EXAMINATION: No



Sacrifice and pathology:
HISTOPATHOLOGY: Yes, lung, kidney, liver. Other tissues were examined, but the specific list of other tissues was not provided

Results and discussion

Results of examinations

Clinical signs:
no effects observed
Mortality:
no mortality observed
Body weight and weight changes:
no effects observed
Food consumption and compound intake (if feeding study):
not examined
Food efficiency:
not examined
Water consumption and compound intake (if drinking water study):
not examined
Ophthalmological findings:
not examined
Haematological findings:
no effects observed
Clinical biochemistry findings:
not examined
Urinalysis findings:
not examined
Behaviour (functional findings):
not examined
Organ weight findings including organ / body weight ratios:
not specified
Gross pathological findings:
not specified
Histopathological findings: non-neoplastic:
no effects observed
Histopathological findings: neoplastic:
no effects observed
Details on results:
CLINICAL SIGNS AND MORTALITY: One rabbit died during exposure to the test substances however this matched the control group.


BODY WEIGHT AND WEIGHT GAIN: Throughout the exposure periods the weekly weight responses were identical with those of normal animals.


HAEMATOLOGY: There were no reported hematological changes to the two dogs that were selected for this parameter during exposure period.



HISTOPATHOLOGY: NON-NEOPLASTIC: There are no reported histological changes that could be attributed to the test substance. The abnormalities that were reported were similar for all species regardless of dose, duration of exposure or test substance inhaled.



Effect levels

Dose descriptor:
NOAEC
Effect level:
> 75
Based on:
test mat.
Sex:
not specified
Basis for effect level:
other: no effects were reported in any species tested

Target system / organ toxicity

Critical effects observed:
not specified

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:
Inhalation of 75 mg/m3 zirconiuim for 30 days produced no significant changes in animals in mortality rate, growth, hematology values or histopathology. The NOAEC was deemed to be greater than 75 mg Zr/m3.
Executive summary:

In this 30 day repeated dose inhalation study, dogs, rabbits and rats were exposed to 75 mg Zr/m3. No significant changes in animals were observed regarding mortality rate, growth, hematology values or hitopathology. The NOAEC was deemed to be greater than 75 mg Zr/m3.