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Registration Dossier
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EC number: 201-084-3 | CAS number: 78-11-5
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data

Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
No reliable data available, due to explosive properties of the substance, no further testing could be conducted. Nevertheless, cutaneous sensitivity to PETN has been reported in humans and appears to be a common effect of exposure to all organic nitrates.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Skin sensitisation
Link to relevant study records
- Endpoint:
- skin sensitisation, other
- Type of information:
- other: Collection of data
- Adequacy of study:
- supporting study
- Reliability:
- 4 (not assignable)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- data from handbook or collection of data
- GLP compliance:
- not specified
- Interpretation of results:
- study cannot be used for classification
- Executive summary:
Patch tests in 20 persons gave no evidence of sensitization, although some cases of mild illness and dermatitis have been attributed to contact with the substance in ordnance plants.
- Endpoint:
- skin sensitisation: in vitro
- Data waiving:
- study technically not feasible
- Justification for data waiving:
- other:
- Justification for type of information:
- Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is a highly explosive organic compound belonging to the same chemical family as nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose. PETN is a sensitive compound and is easily detonated by an appropriate mechanical shock or when it is exposed to heat. It retains its properties in storage for longer periods than do nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose. According to REACH annex XI, section, 2, testing for a specific endpoint may be omitted, if it is technically not possible to conduct the study as a consequence of the properties of the substance: e.g. very volatile, highly reactive or unstable substances cannot be used, mixing of the substance with water may cause danger of fire or explosion or the radio-labelling of the substance required in certain studies may not be possible. This exemption (unstable substance) shall be applicable to PETN because it is “an unstable explosive” (as per CLP, hazard statement H200). Submitting the substance to testing would pose an extreme risk to the laboratory personnel and facilities due to explosive nature of the substance. Please find more information attached in IUCLID section 13.2.
- Endpoint:
- skin sensitisation, other
- Type of information:
- other: Collection of data
- Adequacy of study:
- supporting study
- Reliability:
- 4 (not assignable)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- data from handbook or collection of data
- Interpretation of results:
- study cannot be used for classification
- Executive summary:
McConnell et al (1946) reviewed the industrial hygiene and the incidence of occupational dinisease in government-owned ordnance plants in the United States during World War II. An apparent increase in the number of sudden deaths among explosives workers was observed, but in 915,000 man-years of exposure to the various organic nitrates, no fatalities were attributed to the aliphatic nitrates. An undetermined number of episodes of mild illness or dermatitis were attributed to exposure to PETN. Workers involved in the production of nitroglycerin and other organic nitrates that are readily absorbed through the skin suffered at times from a syndrome called "dynamite head" or "powder headache", which was manifested as severe headache, dizziness, and postural weakness upon initial exposure (Gilman et al., 1985). These symptoms diminished with time but then often reappeared at the beginning of the work week. The initial symptoms reflected the vasodilator action of the nitrates, and the so-called "Monday disease" was attributed to tolerance to this action developed during the work week and to expression of an organic nitrate dependence that became apparent after a several-day break in exposure. The risk of developing this condition while working with PETN is not considered to be high because of the relatively poor dermal absorption of the chemical and because it is usually processed as a wet slurry or precipitate (Dept. of the Army, 1967).
Referenceopen allclose all
Endpoint conclusion
- Endpoint conclusion:
- no study available
- Additional information:
PETN is a sensitive compound and is easily detonated by an appropriate mechanical shock or when it is exposed to heat. Submitting the substance to testing would pose an extreme risk to the laboratory personnel and facilities due to explosive nature of the substance.
Respiratory sensitisation
Endpoint conclusion
- Endpoint conclusion:
- no study available
- Additional information:
PETN is a sensitive compound and is easily detonated by an appropriate mechanical shock or when it is exposed to heat. Submitting the substance to testing would pose an extreme risk to the laboratory personnel and facilities due to explosive nature of the substance.
Justification for classification or non-classification
No reliable data available.
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