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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

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Classification & Labelling & PBT assessment

PBT assessment

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Administrative data

PBT assessment: overall result

PBT status:
the substance is not PBT / vPvB
Justification:

When water is added to Potassim isobutyl xanthate it reacts with water to form the others substances: alcohol, potassium carbonate, trithiocarbonate and carbon disulphide because of its high water solubility.

Hydrolysis will be a significant factor in determining the environmental fate of Potassium isobutyl xanthate. In neutral or mildly alkaline solutions, Potassium isobutyl xanthate decomposes to the alcohol, carbon disulphide, potassium carbonate and potassium trithiocarbonate, the two salts arising from neutralisation of carbon disulphide with the potassium hydroxide liberated. In more strongly alkaline media, hydrogen sulphide is liberated. However, strongly alkaline conditions are unlikely to be encountered under the conditions of use in the mining industry. The half-life at pH 7 at 25°C is reportedly about 260 hours, increasing to over 500 hours in the pH range 8 to 11.

Potassium isobutyl xanthate is hydrolytically unstable when exposed to acidic conditions, reverting rapidly to isobutyl, carbon disulphide and potassium hydroxide, and therefore will not persist in the acidic environment of tailings dams. If discharged to waterways, the chemical would be likely to persist for at least some days, hydrolysing only slowly in this more neutral environment. However, it is not expected to bioaccumulate in view of its ionic character

Potassim isobutyl xanthatedoes not fulfil the criteria for persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity as laid down in the TGD (EC, 2003). Therefore, this substance is not consideredon PBT or vPvBsubstance.