(Also known as: Calcined kaolin clay; Anhydrous aluminium silicate; Calcined aluminium silicate; Calcined china clay; Aluminium silicate calcinate; metakaolin)
SUMMARY
Hazard alerts
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement. These hazard alerts do not take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus do not represent risk.
Human health High alert: Reproduction/development effects
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
A substance with no pesticidal properties but sometimes used in pesticide product formulations to form a barrier film preventing target pests from reaching plant.
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
-
Example products using this active
Brilliant
Futura
Grace Calcined Clay
Formulation and application details
Usually supplied as a concentrate and applied as a foliar spray.
Commercial production
The commercial production of calcined kaolin begins with the mining of high-purity kaolin. After extraction, the raw clay undergoes crushing, grinding, and purification to remove impurities and achieve a consistent particle size. The purified kaolin is then subjected to calcination, a thermal treatment process typically carried out in rotary kilns or furnaces at temperatures ranging from 600°C to 1000°C. This heating drives off chemically bound water and transforms the kaolinite into metakaolinite, a more thermally stable and chemically inert form. The resulting calcined kaolin is cooled, milled to the desired fineness.
Impact on climate of production and use
-
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
1.15
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Low
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Melting point (°C)
-
-
-
Boiling point (°C)
-
-
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
-
-
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
-
-
-
Log P
-
-
-
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
2.40
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
-
-
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Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
-
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Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost
From plant surface
-
-
-
From soil surface
-
-
-
Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹
-
-
-
Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)
-
-
-
Degradation
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
General biodegradability
-
Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)
DT₅₀ (typical)
-
-
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DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
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DT₅₀ (field)
-
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DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
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DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
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DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
Kaolin is a non-degradable natural component of the environment
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
-
-
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Note
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Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
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Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
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Sediment phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
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Air degradation
As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below.
Decay in stored produce DT₅₀
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Linear
Kd (mL g⁻¹)
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-
-
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
-
Notes and range
kaolin is a natural component of the environment
Freundlich
Kf (mL g⁻¹)
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Kfoc (mL g⁻¹)
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1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Fate indices
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
GUS leaching potential index
-
-
-
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
Cannot be calculated
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Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
-
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Potential for loss via drain flow
-
-
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Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
-
-
-
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
20
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
Unknown species
Low
Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)
-
-
-
Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
> 2444
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Gallus domesticus 56 day
Low
Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 2000
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
Eisenia foetida
Low
Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg⁻¹)
-
-
-
Soil micro-organisms
-
-
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Collembola
Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
-
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Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)
-
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Non-target plants
Vegetative vigour ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)
-
-
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Seedling emergence ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)
-
-
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Honeybees (Apis spp.)
Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
> 100
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Apis mellifera
Low
Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
-
-
-
Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
A3 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Rat
-
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
> 5.07
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Rat 4 hr (nose only)
-
Other Mammal toxicity endpoints
-
-
-
ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
None allocated
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
-
ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
None allocated
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Rat SF=25 as AOEC mg m³
-
Dermal penetration studies (%)
Negligible
A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
-
Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464
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Exposure Routes
Public
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Occupational
-
MRLs
European
EU MRL pesticide database
Great Britain
GB MRL Register
Notes
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Drinking Water Standards
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-
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Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)
-
-
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Mammalian dose elimination route and rate
-
-
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Health issues
Specific human health issues
Carcinogen
Genotoxic
Endocrine disruptor
?Possibly, status not identified
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
E3 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 3 = Negative
XNo, known not to cause a problem
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
XNo, known not to cause a problem
XNo, known not to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
?Possibly, status not identified
?Possibly, status not identified
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
?Possibly, status not identified
XNo, known not to cause a problem
General human health issues
Inhalation may cause pneumoconiosis (Kaolinosis) May produce gastrointestinal disturbances as high doses Possible respiratory sensitiser May cause toxic responses via inhalation CLP data - suspected carcinogen via inhalation
Handling issues
Property
Value and interpretation
General
Not explosive or oxidising Do not enter fire area without proper protective equipment, including respiratory protection
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242
Ecotoxicity
Human health
