Registration Dossier

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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Environmental fate & pathways

Endpoint summary

Administrative data

Description of key information

Additional information

Abiotic degradation / hydrolysis

The performance of a test for hydrolysis as function of pH is scientifically unjustified. The study does not need to be conducted as lithium nitrate completely dissociates in water forming lithium cation and the corresponding nitrate anion. Both, the cation and the anion are stable in the aquatic environment.

Biotic degradation

Biodegradation in water: screening test, Biodegradation in water and sediment, Biodegradation in soil

In accordance with column 2 of REACH Regulation 1907/2006/EC Annex VII section 9.2.1.1, a biodegradation test does not need to be conducted as the test substance lithium nitrate is an inorganic substance. Furthermore according to REACH Annex X, Section 9.2, Column 2, further biotic degradation testing shall be proposed, if the chemical safety assessment according to Annex I indicates the need to investigate further degradation.

The CSA does not indicate any need to further assess degradation. Risk assessment was already performed assuming worst case conditions including “no biodegradation”. All risks are adequately controlled. Thus, any further information that would lead to the conclusion that the registered substance is not biodegradable would not influence the chemical safety assessment. Please refer to the attached CSR in IUCLID section 13 for further information.

Bioaccumulation in aquatic/sediment

Lithium salts are not considered to bioaccumulate. The anionic part of the lithium salts is either natural or chemically indistinguishable from natural substances. Anionic parts like carbonate, chloride or nitrate can be found ubiquitous in nature. Thus, only data on the bioaccumulation potential of the lithium component are presented here. The highest BCF/BAF was determined by Antonkiewicz et al. (2017) for terrestrial plants under hydroponic conditions with values between 9 and 16 over the different dosing groups. Barber et al (2006) determined a BCF of around 8 L/kg in freshwater fish. Other publications indicate BCF/BAF values of 1 (Karlsson et al. 2002) or below 1 (Pokorska et al., 2012). Kastanek (2015) concluded in his study with three different algae species that the bioaccumulation potential of lithium is neglible.

Recalculation of the highest BAF/BCF values of the evaluated literature resulted in a BCF of 79 L/kg and a BAF of 159 for lithium nitrate. Thus, lithium nitrate is not considered as bioaccumulative.

Transport and distribution (Adsorption/desorption)

Lithium nitrate is inorganic and thus OECD guideline 121 and OECD guideline 106 cannot be used to determine the partition coefficient. Kd values were found for soil and marine sediment. Both values are below the threshold of 3 and thus the substance adsorption potential can be regarded as low.