Graphite, acid-treated

Endpoint summary

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Acute toxicity: via oral route

Endpoint conclusion

Dose descriptor:

LD50

Value:

2 000 mg/kg bw

Acute toxicity: via dermal route

Endpoint conclusion

Dose descriptor:

LD50

Value:

2 000 mg/kg bw

Additional information

Graphite, acid-treated is an inorganic solid, consisting of natural graphite and variable amounts of either intercalated nitric acid or acetic acid. The main component – graphite - is a naturally occurring inorganic solid substance which is insoluble in water. Due to its physico-chemical properties, i.e. absence of lipophilic functional groups which would enhance lipid (fat) solubilisation properties and therefore facilitate the uptake into the organism, graphite itself can be regarded as not bioaccumulative and toxically negligible.

The intercalated nitric acid or acetic acid and the intercalated ions (nitrite/nitrate, acetate) are partially leached out by water. Due to their naturally ubiquitous character they are subject to rapid degradation, metabolisation or excretory processes.

In standard OECD tests 423 and 402 graphite, acid-treated exhibited no acute orally toxic characteristics and no acute dermal toxic characteristics when applied to rats at a concentration of 2,000 mg/kg body weight. The absence of cytotoxic effects in a pre-incubation test (Ames Test) with several Salmonella typhimurium strains (see section 7.6.1 of the IUCLID dossier) performed with an extract of graphite, acid-treated underline the conclusion that graphite is not bioavailable (and not systemically available) and that the concentrations of the leached out acids and ions do not play a systemically and toxicologically relevant role.

Therefore, graphite, acid-treated can be considered as not acute toxic.