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EC number: 200-848-3 | CAS number: 75-20-7
Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
Calcium carbidereacts rapidly with water producing acetylene and calcium hydroxide.
Calcium hydroxide:
Calcium hydroxide is an inorganic substance hence biodegradation is not applicable to this compound.
In contact with water/moisture Ca(OH)2 instantly dissociates to Ca2+ and 2 OH-. OH- ions will be readily neutralised in the environment due to the buffering capacity of natural waters, sediments and soils, and due to the neutralising reaction with carbon dioxide. Ca2+ ions have a low tendency for adsorption to soil/sediments. Available Kd values range between 5.3 and 49.1 L/kg. Calcium is a ubiquitous integral part of almost all naturally occurring mineral matrices, in particular of soils and sediments. Also natural waters carry a significant level of calcium background concentrations. The calcium released from CaC2 is therefore of no environmental concern.
Also in the assessment of the bioaccumulation potential of Ca(OH)2, Ca2+ would be the species of interest (as opposed to OH–, which is quickly neutralised).
Calcium, a soft grey alkaline earth metal, is a ubiquitous substance: It is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the earth's crust and also the fifth-most-abundant dissolved ion in seawater both by molarity and mass.
For humans, calcium is an important component of a healthy diet as the mineral is necessary for life. Calcium has particular importance in cell physiology, as Ca2+ transport from and into the cytoplasm acts as a signal for numerous cellular processes. Moreover, Ca is stored in bones and teeth of humans and animals, and is an integral part of mollusc shells. Thus, calcium is the most abundant metal by mass in many animals.
In humans, approximately 99 % of the body's calcium is stored in the bones and teeth, while the rest is important for the functioning of processes like exocytosis, neurotransmitter release or muscle contraction, with special importance for the heart muscle.
Calcium levels in blood serum are subject to homoeostatic regulation. However, long-term calcium deficiency may cause rickets and impairment of blood clotting as well as osteoporosis in menopausal women. While a lifelong deficit can affect bone and tooth formation hypercalcaemia (elevated levels of calcium in the blood), impaired kidney function including kidney stone formation and decreased absorption of other minerals may be caused by over-retention of calcium. Moreover, the following potential adverse effects of excessive calcium intake have been proposed: the milk-alkali syndrome (MAS), vascular calcification, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased risk of prostate cancer (EFSA, 2012).
In 2003, the Upper Intake Level (UL) was thus set at 2,500 mg calcium/day for adults and for pregnant and lactating women by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF). Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to re-evaluate the safety in use of calcium and to provide, if necessary, revised Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) of calcium for all relevant population groups. The Panel comes to the conclusion that no new data have become available which would require a revision of the UL for calcium for adults, including pregnant and lactating women, i.e. 2500 mg/day.
Thus, in the light of the fact that calcium is a ubiquitous, essential mineral nutrient and the high UL of 2500 mg/d, a study investigating the bioaccumulation behaviour of calcium ions in fish or a terrestrial species is not warranted. Calcium is obviously devoid of any bioaccumulation potential.
Acetylene:
A significant bioaccumulation potential for acetylene is not expected. On the one hand the substance is a gas which will not remain in the aqueous phase due to its high vapour pressure and Henry’s Law constant1, on the other hand the log Kow is very low (0.37).
References
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of calcium. EFSA Journal 2012;10(7):2814. [44 pp.] doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2814. Available online: www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal
1Solubilty in water: 1200 mg/L; vapour pressure: 4.04 x 10^4 mm Hg at 25 °C (Daubert, T.E., R.P. Danner. Physical and Thermodynamic Properties of Pure Chemicals Data Compilation. Washington, D.C.: Taylor and Francis, 1989; cited in HSDB)
=> approximate Henry Law constant = vapour pressure/ aqueous solubility = 5386224 Pa / 46.08 mol/m³ = ~ 116,900 Pa m³/mol
Additional information
Calcium carbide reacts rapidly with water producing acetylene and calcium hydroxide.
Calcium hydroxide:
Calcium hydroxide is an inorganic substance hence biodegradation is not applicable to this compound.
In contact with water/moisture Ca(OH)2 instantly dissociates to Ca2+ and 2 OH-. OH- ions will be readily neutralised in the environment due to the buffering capacity of natural waters, sediments and soils, and due to the neutralising reaction with carbon dioxide. Ca2+ ions have a low tendency for adsorption to soil/sediments. Available Kd values range between 5.3 and 49.1 L/kg. Calcium is a ubiquitous integral part of almost all naturally occurring mineral matrices, in particular of soils and sediments. Also natural waters carry a significant level of calcium background concentrations. The calcium released from CaC2 is therefore of no environmental concern.
Also in the assessment of the bioaccumulation potential of Ca(OH)2, Ca2+ would be the species of interest (as opposed to OH–, which is quickly neutralised).
Calcium, a soft grey alkaline earth metal, is a ubiquitous substance: It is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the earth's crust and also the fifth-most-abundant dissolved ion in seawater both by molarity and mass.
For humans, calcium is an important component of a healthy diet as the mineral is necessary for life. Calcium has particular importance in cell physiology, as Ca2+ transport from and into the cytoplasm acts as a signal for numerous cellular processes. Moreover, Ca is stored in bones and teeth of humans and animals, and is an integral part of mollusc shells. Thus, calcium is the most abundant metal by mass in many animals.
In humans, approximately 99 % of the body's calcium is stored in the bones and teeth, while the rest is important for the functioning of processes like exocytosis, neurotransmitter release or muscle contraction, with special importance for the heart muscle.
Calcium levels in blood serum are subject to homoeostatic regulation. However, long-term calcium deficiency may cause rickets and impairment of blood clotting as well as osteoporosis in menopausal women. While a lifelong deficit can affect bone and tooth formation hypercalcaemia (elevated levels of calcium in the blood), impaired kidney function including kidney stone formation and decreased absorption of other minerals may be caused by over-retention of calcium. Moreover, the following potential adverse effects of excessive calcium intake have been proposed: the milk-alkali syndrome (MAS), vascular calcification, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased risk of prostate cancer (EFSA, 2012).
In 2003, the Upper Intake Level (UL) was thus set at 2,500 mg calcium/day for adults and for pregnant and lactating women by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF). Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to re-evaluate the safety in use of calcium and to provide, if necessary, revised Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) of calcium for all relevant population groups. The Panel comes to the conclusion that no new data have become available which would require a revision of the UL for calcium for adults, including pregnant and lactating women, i.e. 2500 mg/day.
Thus, in the light of the fact that calcium is a ubiquitous, essential mineral nutrient and the high UL of 2500 mg/d, a study investigating the bioaccumulation behaviour of calcium ions in fish or a terrestrial species is not warranted. Calcium is obviously devoid of any bioaccumulation potential.
Acetylene:
A significant bioaccumulation potential for acetylene is not expected. On the one hand the substance is a gas which will not remain in the aqueous phase due to its high vapour pressure and Henry’s Law constant1, on the other hand the log Kow is very low (0.37).
References
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of calcium. EFSA Journal 2012;10(7):2814. [44 pp.] doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2814. Available online: www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal
1 Solubilty in water: 1200 mg/L; vapour pressure: 4.04 x 10^4 mm Hg at 25 °C (Daubert, T.E., R.P. Danner. Physical and Thermodynamic Properties of Pure Chemicals Data Compilation. Washington, D.C.: Taylor and Francis, 1989; cited in HSDB)
=> approximate Henry Law constant = vapour pressure/ aqueous solubility = 5386224 Pa / 46.08 mol/m³ = ~ 116,900 Pa m³/mol
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