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GHS Classification Result

GENERAL INFORMATION

Item	Information
CAS RN	21908-53-2
Chemical Name	Mercury(II) oxide
Substance ID	H26-B-124, -
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 applicable	- -	-	-	There are no chemical groups present in the molecule associated with explosive properties.
2	Flammable gases (including chemically unstable gases)	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).
3	Aerosols	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Not aerosol products.
4	Oxidizing gases	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).
5	Gases under pressure	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).
6	Flammable liquids	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).
7	Flammable solids	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2001)).
8	Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Not applicable	- -	-	-	There are no chemical groups present in the molecule associated with explosive or self-reactive properties.
9	Pyrophoric liquids	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).
10	Pyrophoric solids	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2001)).
11	Self-heating substances and mixtures	Not classified	- -	-	-	It is not combustible (ICSC (2001)).
12	Substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases	Not classified	- -	-	-	Because the observation result of being insoluble in water (ICSC (2001)) was obtained, it is estimated that it does not react vigorously with water.
13	Oxidizing liquids	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition).
14	Oxidizing solids	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	It is an inorganic compound containing oxygen (but not halogen), but the classification is not possible due to no data.
15	Organic peroxides	Not applicable	- -	-	-	It is an inorganic compound.
16	Corrosive to metals	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Test methods applicable to solid substances are not available.

HEALTH HAZARDS

Hazard class		Classification	Pictogram Signal word	Hazard statement (code)	Precautionary statement (code)	Rationale for the classification
1	Acute toxicity (Oral)	Category 2	Danger	H300	P301+P310 P361+P364 P264 P270 P321 P330 P405 P501	Based on a report of an LD50 value of 18 mg/kg for rats (GESTIS (Access on September 2014) original reference: National Technical Information Service. vol. PB214 270), it was classified in Category 2. A new information source (GESTIS (Access on September 2014)) was added and the category was revised.
1	Acute toxicity (Dermal)	Category 3	Danger	H311	P302+P352 P280 P312 P321 P361 P364 P405 P501	Based on a report of an LD50 value of 315 mg/kg for rats (GESTIS (Access on September 2014) original reference: Gigiena Truda i Professional'nye Zabolevaniya. Labor Hygiene and Occupational Diseases. vol. 25 (7), Pg. 27, 1981), it was classified in Category 3. A new information source was added and the category was revised.
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Gases)	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition)
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Vapours)	Not applicable	- -	-	-	Solid (GHS definition)
1	Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Dusts and mists)	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
2	Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 2	Warning	H315	P302+P352 P332+P313 P362+P364 P264 P280 P321	Although there is no specific description, since there is a description that this substance was irritating to the skin (CICAD 50 (2003)), it was classified in Category 2.
3	Serious eye damage/eye irritation	Category 2	Warning	H319	P305+P351+P338 P337+P313 P264 P280	Although there is no specific description, since there is a description that this substance was irritating to the eyes (CICAD 50 (2003)), it was classified in Category 2.
4	Respiratory sensitization	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
4	Skin sensitization	Category 1	Warning	H317	P302+P352 P333+P313 P362+P364 P261 P272 P280 P321 P501	The Japan Society For Occupational Health classifies mercury (the substance itself and its compounds) in occupational skin sensitizers Group 1. Although this substance is not specified in this classification, this substance is considered to be included in mercury compounds, therefore it was classified in Category 1. Besides, according to the classification of the Japan Society For Occupational Health, there is a provision that "not all substances that cause sensitization have been identified."
5	Germ cell mutagenicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.
6	Carcinogenicity	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Since it was classified in Group 3 (as metallic mercury and inorganic mercury compounds) by IARC (IARC 58 (1993)) and in A4 (as metallic mercury and inorganic mercury compounds) by ACGIH (ACGIH (7th, 2001)), it was classified as "Classification not possible."
7	Reproductive toxicity	Category 1B	Danger	H360	P308+P313 P201 P202 P280 P405 P501	In a teratogenicity study by the oral route with rats, at doses where maternal toxicity was not seen, increased external malformations, increased number of runts and inhibition of eye formation were observed in the fetuses (EHC 118 (1991)). Therefore, it was classified in Category 1B.
8	Specific target organ toxicity - Single exposure	Category 1 (central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, kidney, gastrointestinal tract)	Danger	H370	P308+P311 P260 P264 P270 P321 P405 P501	There is very little information limited to this substance, and in humans, there are reports of hemiparesis, generalized muscle stiffness, muscle tremors, acrodynia and coma through the percutaneous treatment of yellow mercury oxide ointment for eczema to infants (CICAD 50 (2003)). There are descriptions that not this substance but metallic mercury or inorganic mercury compounds caused nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, central nervous system depression, emotional instability and irritability, peripheral neuropathy, gingivitis, stomatitis, vision change, hearing loss and renal impairment in humans (route unknown) (ACGIH (7th, 2001)), and that the causes of death by oral exposures were kidney damage, cardiovascular collapse and severe gastrointestinal disorders and the most common findings are gastrointestinal disorders and renal failure (CICAD 50 (2003)). In experimental animals, neurophysiological effects, electrophysiological effects and effects on the kidney and behaviors were observed (ACGIH (7th, 2001)). Gastrointestinal tract disorders were not judged to be local effects. From the above, it was classified in Category 1 (central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, kidney, gastrointestinal tract).
9	Specific target organ toxicity - Repeated exposure	Category 1 (central nervous system, kidney)	Danger	H372	P260 P264 P270 P314 P501	There are no findings of hazards by repeated exposures to this substance in either humans or experimental animals. However, as for findings by repeated exposures to inorganic mercury compounds, in multiple cases in humans who ingested mercury chloride (mainly mercuric chloride) (ATSDR (1999)) and in many studies which rats or mice were dosed orally with mercuric chloride for 2 weeks to 2 years (CICAD 50 (2003)), renal effects (renal failure (humans), nephropathy, tubular epithelial degeneration, glomerular thickening (rats and mice)) were observed. Therefore, the kidney is considered the target organ. In addition, it is described that in several case reports of humans who took drugs containing mercury chloride, CNS symptoms (irritability, sleeplessness, muscle twitching, etc.) were observed, and in chronic poisoning cases, progress of dementia and irritability occurred, and at necropsy of the cases of a small number of deaths, a decrease in the weight and volume of the brain and a decrease in the number of nerve cells in the cerebellum were observed and the accumulation of mercury was confirmed in the neurons by electron microscopic observation (ATSDR (1999)). From the above, it is considered appropriate to classify this substance also in this GHS classification with reference to the hazardous findings of inorganic mercury compounds such as mercury chloride. Therefore, this substance was classified in Category 1 (central nervous system, kidney).
10	Aspiration hazard	Classification not possible	- -	-	-	Classification not possible due to lack of data.

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)	-	- -	-	-	-
11	Hazardous to the aquatic environment (Long-term)	-	- -	-	-	-
12	Hazardous to the ozone layer	-	- -	-	-	-

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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