Registration Dossier

Data platform availability banner - registered substances factsheets

Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Classification & Labelling & PBT assessment

PBT assessment

Currently viewing:

Administrative data

PBT assessment: overall result

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

Cyanides are acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic organisms and to mammals. The No Adverse Effect Level is 0.001 mg/L in fish; the same concentration is the No Adverse Effect Concentration in algae. However, the cyanides have been demonstrated to be inherently biodegradable after a period of adaptation by the micro-organisms, and thus do not meet the PBT and vPvB criteria for persistence. Furthermore, cyanides have a log Kow less than 1 and bioconcentration factor (BCF) of approximately 3; therefore, cyanides are not considered to be bioaccumulative.

The cyanides have been carefully reviewed by previous authoritative bodies, and have been listed in Annex 1 of the Dangerous Substances Directive. According to Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008, Annex VI, Table 3.1, Index No. 006 -007 -00 -5, concerning PBT/vPvB: "All category members, including potassium cyanide and sodium cyanide, are excluded as they are not persistent nor bioaccumulative." Thus, sodium cyanide is not a PBT or a vPvB.