NITE - Chemical Management Field

Latest GHS Classification Results by the Japanese Government (edited by NITE)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Item	Information
CAS RN	7705-08-0
Chemical Name	Iron (III) chloride
Substance ID	m-nite-7705-08-0_v1
Download of Excel format	Excel file

REFERENCE INFORMATION

Item	Information
Guidance used for the classification (External link)	To Guidance List
UN GHS document (External link)	To UN GHS document
FAQ（GHS classification results by the Japanese Government）	To FAQ
List of Information Sources (Excel file)	List of Information Sources
List of Definitions/Abbreviations	Definitions/Abbreviations
Sample Label by MHLW (External link)	To Workplace Safety Site (MHLW)
Sample SDS by MHLW (External link)	To Workplace Safety Site (MHLW)
OECD/eChemPortal (External link)	To OECD/eChemPortal (External link)

PHYSICAL HAZARDS

Hazard class		Classification	Pictogram Signal word	Hazard statement (code)	Precautionary statement (code)	Rationale for the classification	Classification year (FY)	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government
1	Explosives	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	There are no chemical groups present in the molecule associated with explosive properties.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
2	Flammable gases	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
3	Aerosols	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Not aerosol products.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
4	Oxidizing gases	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
5	Gases under pressure	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
6	Flammable liquids	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
7	Flammable solids	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2004)).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
8	Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	There are no chemical groups present in the molecule associated with explosive or self-reactive properties.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
9	Pyrophoric liquids	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
10	Pyrophoric solids	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2004)).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
11	Self-heating substances and mixtures	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2004)).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
12	Substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases	Not classified	- -	-	-	Because the observation result that it decomposes in contact with water and produces hydrogen chloride (ICSC (2004)) was obtained, it is estimated that it does not emit flammable gases when it reacts with water.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
13	Oxidizing liquids	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
14	Oxidizing solids	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	The substance is an inorganic compound containing halogen (but not oxygen), but the classification is not possible due to no data.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
15	Organic peroxides	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	It is an inorganic compound.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
16	Corrosive to metals	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Test methods applicable to solid substances are not available. Besides, there is information that it attacks most metals (Hommel (1991)).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
17	Desensitized explosives	-	- -	-	-	-	-	-

HEALTH HAZARDS

Hazard class		Classification	Pictogram Signal word	Hazard statement (code)	Precautionary statement (code)	Rationale for the classification	Classification year (FY)	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government
1	Acute toxicity (Oral)	Category 4	Warning	H302	P301+P312 P264 P270 P330 P501	There are 5 reports of LD50 values of 500-5,000 mg/kg, 900 mg/kg, 1,872 mg/kg, about 2,900 mg/kg and about 2,900 mg/kg for rats (SIDS (2008)). Since 2 cases each corresponded to Category 4 and "Not classified," it was classified in Category 4 to which smaller LD50 values corresponded.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
1	Acute toxicity (Dermal)	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Gases)	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition)	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Vapours)	Not classified (Not applicable)	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition)	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Dusts and mists)	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
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 is a description that this substance is a strong acid, and the pH of a 0.1M solution is 2.0 (HSDB (Access on September 2014)), and therefore, it was classified in Category 1. Besides, there are 3 reports of tests with rabbits, with 2 reports on it being irritating and 1 report of iｔ being not irritating (SIDS (2008), IUCLID (2000)).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
3	Serious eye damage/eye irritation	Category 1	Danger	H318	P305+P351+P338 P280 P310	There is a description that this substance is a strong acid, and the pH of a 0.1M aqueous solution is 2.0 (HSDB (Access on September 2014)). In addition, after application of a 40% aqueous solution of this substance to rabbits, it was severely irritating (SIDS (2008), IUCLID (2000)). From the above results, it was classified in Category 1.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
4	Respiratory sensitization	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
4	Skin sensitization	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data. There is a description that in a test with guinea pigs, a positive reaction was observed in 1 out of 2 animals. However, no conclusions could be drawn because of a small number of animals and insufficient details of the test method (SIDS (2008), IUCLID (2000)). In addition, there is a report of contact sensitization to iron and positive reactions in a patch test to a 2% solution of this substance in a 66-year-old white man (SIDS (2008), IUCLID (2000)), but it is only limited to this 1 case.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
5	Germ cell mutagenicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	It was classified as "Classification not possible" because it was not possible to classify a substance as "Not classified" according to the revised GHS classification guidance for the Japanese government. As for in vivo, it was negative in a mouse bone marrow micronucleus test (SIDS (2008)), As for in vitro, it was positive in 1 mouse lymphoma test with cultured mammalian cells but was negative in multiple bacterial reverse mutation tests and mouse lymphoma tests with cultured mammalian cells (SIDS (2008), NTP DB (Access on October 2014)). Besides, there is a negative report in an in vivo chromosomal aberration test with the testis of mice, but the details were unknown (SIDS (2008)). "A positive result in a chromosomal aberration test with bone marrow cells by the oral administration to mice (IUCLID (2000))" in the previous classification was incorrect and deleted because it was a negative result from iron sulfate (II). In addition, "a positive result in a bone marrow cell micronucleus test by the oral administration to mice (IUCLID (2000))" in the previous classification was deleted because it was described in SIDS (2008) that this test was evaluated as invalid due to multiple problems such as no control group.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
6	Carcinogenicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	There are no carcinogenic classifications by international organizations. No carcinogenicity was observed in a carcinogenicity study with male and female F344 rats dosed by drinking water for 2 years (SIDS (2008)). However, since it was a test result with only 1 species, classification was not possible due to lack of data.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
7	Reproductive toxicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data. Besides, there was no information on reproductive toxicity study. However, there are reports that spermatogenesis in the testis and epididymis was an effect in a test by administration to the testis of rats, and that preimplantation mortality was seen in a test by administration to the vagina of rats 1 day before mating (SIDS (2008)). These tests were not adopted as evidence of classification because the administration routes were different from the usual reproductive developmental toxicity test. In addition, there is a report that no effects on dams and fetuses were seen in a teratogenicity study with rats by the oral route (drinking water) (SIDS (2008)). However, it was the study with only one-dose and was not adopted for classification.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
8	Specific target organ toxicity - Single exposure	Category 1 (systemic), Category 3 (respiratory tract irritation)	Danger Warning	H370 H335	P308+P311 P260 P264 P270 P321 P405 P501 P304+P340 P403+P233 P261 P271 P312	Although not this substance, inhalation of ferric compounds such as dusts and mists is irritating to the respiratory tract (ACGIH (7th, 2001), SIDS (2008), HSDB (Access on September 2014)). As for this substance, there is a case report of one person who accidentally ingested 200 mL of a ferric chloride solution (pH 1) and developed hypoxemia, severe metabolic acidosis with respiratory alkalosis initially and vomiting, drowsy consciousness, tachycardia, tachypnea 3 hours after ingestion and died of severe vomiting and cardiopulmonary arrest 4 hours after ingestion (HSDB (Access on September 2014)). Besides, there is a report of vomiting, diarrhea, mild lethargy, upper abdominal pain and pallor by the oral ingestion of ferric compounds in humans, and hyperglycemia, cyanosis, stupor, acidosis, hematemesis and coma in severe cases. There is a description of effects on the stomach mucosa and the cardiovascular/peripheral circulation, metabolic acidosis, and effects on the central nervous system by the oral ingestion of iron sulfate (II) (SIDS (2008), ACGIH (7th, 2001)). From the above, this substance was considered to be irritating to the respiratory tract, therefore, it was classified in Category 3 (respiratory tract irritation). In addition, although it was considered to cause systemic effects, the target organ could not be identified, therefore, it was also classified in Category 1 (systemic toxicity). In the previous classification, systemic toxicity was classified in Category 2, however, it was revised to Category 1 because some effects on humans were severe as described above.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
9	Specific target organ toxicity - Repeated exposure	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	In a 13-week study in which ferric chloride hexahydrate (III) was administered by drinking water to rats, the No Observable Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) was reported to be 5,000 ppm (equivalent to 277 mg/kg/day for males, and 344 mg/kg/day for females) (SIDS (2008)). However, it was not the result of a study conducted with sufficient evaluation items including histopathological examination. There is a description that the divalent ferrous ion is oxidized to the trivalent ferric ion in the stomach despite the low pH, and this then chelates with proteins which retain the iron in soluble form available for absorption into the small intestinal mucosa (SIDS (2008)). Although repeated dose toxicity studies were extensively investigated including those on divalent iron compounds, in combined repeated dose toxicity studies with the reproduction/developmental toxicity screening test (OECD TG 422) in which ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (II) for up to 49 days or ferrous chloride (II) for up to 54 days was administered by gavage to rats, respectively, there was no toxicity within or lower than the dose range for Category 2, and even in the high dose group (converted guidance value: higher than 233 mg/kg/day), only pigmentation (hemosiderin) in the spleen and liver, and hemal effects, etc. were seen but no serious target organ toxicity was observed (SIDS (2008)). From the above, although it was considered corresponding to "Not classified" by the oral route, there was no toxicity information by the other routes. Therefore, it was classified as "Classification not possible" due to lack of data.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
10	Aspiration hazard	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

Hazard class		Classification	Pictogram Signal word	Hazard statement (code)	Precautionary statement (code)	Rationale for the classification	Classification year (FY)	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government
11	Hazardous to the aquatic environment Short term (Acute)	Category 3	- -	H402	P273 P501	It was classified in Category 3 from 48-hour LC50 = 37.5 mg/L (12.9 mgFe/L) for crustacea (Daphnia pulex) (SIDS, 2008).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
11	Hazardous to the aquatic environment Long term (Chronic)	Not classified	- -	-	-	Although environmental dynamics of the inorganic compound are unknown, it was classified as "Not classified" from 21-day NOEC = 2.0 mg/L for crustacea (Daphnia magna) (0.70 mgFe/L) (SIDS, 2008).	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))
12	Hazardous to the ozone layer	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	This substance is not listed in the Annexes to the Montreal Protocol.	FY2014	GHS Classification Guidance for the Japanese Government (FY2013 revised edition (Ver. 1.0))

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.
An asterisk “*” in the column of “Classification” denotes that “Not classified (or No applicable)” and/or “Classification not possible” is applicable. Details are described in the column of “Rationale for the classification”. If no English translation is available for “Rationale for the classification,” please refer to the Japanese version of the results.

To GHS Information