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GHS Classification Result

GENERAL INFORMATION

Item	Information
CAS RN	7697-37-2
Chemical Name	Nitric acid
Substance ID	H26-B-114, R-054
Classification year (FY)	FY2014
Ministry who conducted the classification	Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)/Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
New/Revised	Revised
Classification result in other fiscal year	FY2006
Download of Excel format	Excel file

REFERENCE INFORMATION

Item	Information
Guidance used for the classification (External link)	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition)
UN GHS document (External link)	UN GHS document
Definitions/Abbreviations (Excel file)	Definitions/Abbreviations
Model Label by MHLW (External link)	MHLW Website (in Japanese Only)
Model SDS by MHLW (External link)	MHLW Website (in Japanese Only)
OECD/eChemPortal (External link)	eChemPortal

PHYSICAL HAZARDS

Hazard class		Classification	Pictogram Signal word	Hazard statement (code)	Precautionary statement (code)	Rationale for the classification
1	Explosives	Not classified	- -	-	-	There is a chemical group associated with explosive properties (N-O) present in the molecule. However, because it is classified in Class 8, Subsidiary Risk 5.1, PG I (UN2031), it was classified as "Not classified."
2	Flammable gases (including chemically unstable gases)	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Liquid (GHS definition)
3	Aerosols	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Not aerosol products.
4	Oxidizing gases	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Liquid (GHS definition)
5	Gases under pressure	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Liquid (GHS definition)
6	Flammable liquids	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2006)).
7	Flammable solids	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Liquid (GHS definition)
8	Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Not applicable	- -	-	-	There is a chemical group associated with explosive properties (N-O) present in the molecule, but it was classified as oxidizing liquids.
9	Pyrophoric liquids	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2006)).
10	Pyrophoric solids	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Liquid (GHS definition)
11	Self-heating substances and mixtures	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2006)).
12	Substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases	Not applicable	- -	-	-	The chemical structure of the substance does not contain metals or metalloids (B, Si, P, Ge, As, Se, Sn, Sb, Te, Bi, Po, At).
13	Oxidizing liquids	Category 3	Warning	H272	P370+P378 P210 P220 P221 P280 P501	As an example of test results for Division 5.1, PG III was described for nitric acid (65%) in the UNRTDG Manual of Tests and Criteria 5th revised edition (2009), therefore, it was classified in Category 3. Besides, it is classified in Class 8, Subsidiary Risk 5.1, PG I (UN2031) in UNRTDG.
14	Oxidizing solids	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Liquid (GHS definition)
15	Organic peroxides	Not applicable	- -	-	-	It is an inorganic compound.
16	Corrosive to metals	Category 1	Warning	H290	P234 P390 P406	There are no test data, but because it is corrosive to metals (ICSC (2006)), it was judged to meet the criteria of corrosivity.

HEALTH HAZARDS

Hazard class		Classification	Pictogram Signal word	Hazard statement (code)	Precautionary statement (code)	Rationale for the classification
1	Acute toxicity (Oral)	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
1	Acute toxicity (Dermal)	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Gases)	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Liquid (GHS definition)
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Vapours)	Category 1	Danger	H330	P304+P340 P403+P233 P260 P271 P284 P310 P320 P405 P501	There are reports of an LC50 value (4 hours) of 49 ppm for rats (OEL Documentations (Japan Society For Occupational Health (JSOH),1982)) and an LC50 value (30 minutes) of 334 ppm for rats (converted 4-hour equivalent value: 118 ppm) (ACGIH (7th, 2001), HSDB (Access on September 2014)). According to the GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government, it was classified in Category 1 based on the 4-hour value. New information sources (ACGIH (7 the, 2001), HSDB (Access on September 2014), OEL Documentations (Japan Society For Occupational Health (JSOH), 1982)) were added, and the category was revised.
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Dusts and mists)	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data. Besides, although there are data on fuming nitric acid, the main components were not nitric acid but nitrogen dioxide or dinitrogen tetraoxide, therefore, it was not adopted for the classification and it was classified as "Classification not possible."
2	Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 1	Danger	H314	P301+P330+P331 P303+P361+P353 P305+P351+P338 P304+P340 P260 P264 P280 P310 P321 P363 P405 P501	There are reports that a liquid or a vapour of this substance showed severe damage to the skin (ACGIH (7th, 2001)), and that even short-exposure caused damage to the skin (DFGOT vol. 3 (1992)). In addition, there is a report that after application of an 8% solution of this substance to rabbits, necrosis was observed (DFGOT vol. 3 (1992)). From the above results, it was classified in Category 1. Since there were no specific data for sub-categorization, the category was changed. Besides, this substance was classified as "C; R35" in the EU DSD classification, as "Skin Corr. 1A H314" in the EU CLP classification.
3	Serious eye damage/eye irritation	Category 1	Danger	H318	P305+P351+P338 P280 P310	There are descriptions that this substance caused corneal injury and permanent visual impairment (DFGOT vol. 3 (1992)), and that it produced severe chemical burns to the eyes in humans, which resulted in eyeball shrinkage, symblepharon, and permanent corneal opacification, leading to blindness (ACGIH (7th, 2001)). Moreover, this substance was classified in Category 1 for skin corrosion/irritation. From the above results, it was classified in Category 1.
4	Respiratory sensitization	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
4	Skin sensitization	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
5	Germ cell mutagenicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data. There are no in vivo data. As for in vitro, it was negative in bacterial reverse mutation tests (SIDS (2010), DFGOT vol. 3 (1992), HSDB (Access on September 2014)).
6	Carcinogenicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
7	Reproductive toxicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data. Besides, there is a report that in a teratogenicity test with rats by the oral route (drinking water), only slight ossification disorder (hyoid bone, parietal bone/occipital bone, wavy rib) was observed, and neither teratogenicity nor fetal toxicity occurred (IUCLID (2000)). However, because the descriptions of the test conditions and test results were insufficient, it was not used for classification. In addition, since there was no sufficient information on fertility, it was classified as "Classification not possible."
8	Specific target organ toxicity - Single exposure	Category 1 (respiratory organs)	Danger	H370	P308+P311 P260 P264 P270 P321 P405 P501	This substance was irritating to the respiratory tract (OEL Documentations (Japan Society For Occupational Health (JSOH), 1982), SIDS (2010), ACGIH (7th, 2001), DFGOT vol. 3 (1992)). In humans, there are reports of coughing, headache, nausea, chest pain, dyspnea, bronchoconstriction, respiratory disorder and pulmonary edema by inhalation exposure, and corrosion and necrosis of the mouth, esophagus and stomach, and pneumonitis by oral exposure (SIDS (2010), ACGIH (7th, 2001), DFGOT vol. 3 (1992)). As for experimental animals, there is a report of widespread inflammation of the respiratory tract, rhinitis, tracheitis and pneumonitis by inhalation exposure of rats at 8 ppm (0.02 mg/L) (SIDS (2010)), and there is a report of pulmonary edema at 49 ppm (0.12 mg/L) (OEL Documentations (Japan Society For Occupational Health (JSOH), 1982)). These symptoms were observed at doses within the range equivalent to Category 1. From the above, since this substance affected the respiratory organs, it was classified in Category 1 (respiratory organs). This substance was considered to have local effects due to its corrosivity, therefore, the oral cavity, esophagus and stomach in humans were not included as target organs.
9	Specific target organ toxicity - Repeated exposure	Category 1 (respiratory organs, teeth)	Danger	H372	P260 P264 P270 P314 P501	There are descriptions that dental erosion was exhibited in 3 of 32 workers who were occupationally exposed to inhalation to nitric acid (no onset in 293 workers in the control group) (SIDS (2010), ACGIH (7th, 2001), DFGOT vol. 3 (1992)), and that repeated exposure to the vapour and mists of nitric acid may result in a chronic bronchitis, and more severe exposure resulted in chemical pneumonitis, and further erosion of the teeth, particularly the canines and incisors (ACGIH (7th, 2001), DFGOT vol. 3 (1992)). As for experimental animals, there was no test result from repeated exposure to this substance. From the above, based on the findings on occupational exposure in humans, it was classified in Category 1 (respiratory organs, teeth).
10	Aspiration hazard	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	There is a description that in a case of delayed death after ingestion of a large amount of this substance, chemical pneumonitis due to aspiration was found at autopsy (ACGIH (7th, 2001)). However, it was a finding in only one case, and considering the description of effects due to secondary "aspiration" by the large ingestion (ACGIH (7th, 2001)), it was hard to say that the finding corresponded to "reliable and good quality human evidence," the criteria for Category 1. Therefore, it was classified as "Classification not possible" due to lack of data. Besides, although in the previous classification, it was classified in Category 1 based on the findings in ACGIH, the judgment was changed in this review.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

Hazard class		Classification	Pictogram Signal word	Hazard statement (code)	Precautionary statement (code)	Rationale for the classification
11	Hazardous to the aquatic environment (Acute)	Category 3	- -	H402	P273 P501	It was classified in Category 3 from 96-hour LC50 = 72 mg/L for fish (Gambusia affinis) (SIDS, 2010).
11	Hazardous to the aquatic environment (Long-term)	Not classified	- -	-	-	Reliable chronic toxicity data were not obtained. Nitric acid exists widely as natural substances, and from results of acute toxicity test on the salts, it is known that decreased pH causes acute toxicity. It is known to cause adverse effects when concentrations of nitrate ions are high, but it is estimated that toxicity does not occur generally at a concentration of 1 mg/L for classification in chronic toxicity. Therefore, it was classified as "Not classified."
12	Hazardous to the ozone layer	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	This substance is not listed in the Annexes to the Montreal Protocol.

NOTE:

GHS Classification Result by the Japanese Government is intended to provide a reference for preparing a GHS label or SDS for users. To include the same classification result in a label or SDS for Japan is NOT mandatory.
Users can cite or copy this classification result when preparing a GHS label or SDS. Please be aware, however, that the responsibility for a label or SDS prepared by citing or copying this classification result lies with users.
This GHS classification was conducted based on the information sources and the guidance for classification and judgement which are described in the GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government etc. Using other literature, test results etc. as evidence and including different content from this classification result in a label or SDS are allowed.
Hazard statement and precautionary statement will show by hovering the mouse cursor over a code in the column of "Hazard statement" and "Precautionary statement," respectively. In the excel file, both the codes and statements are provided.
A blank or "-" in the column of "Classification" denotes that a classification for the hazard class was not conducted in the year.

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