Appendix A

803 Pages·2017·5.29 MB·English

National assessment of chemicals
associated with coal seam gas
extraction in Australia

Technical report number 12
Human health hazards of chemicals
associated with coal seam gas extraction in
Australia: Appendix A – Hazard assessment
sheets

This report was prepared by the National Industrial Chemicals
Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS)

The national assessment of chemicals associated with
coal seam gas extraction in Australia was commissioned
by the Department of the Environment and Energy and
prepared in collaboration with NICNAS and CSIRO
Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

Copyright
© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia, 2017.

This report is licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia for use under a Creative Commons
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Citation
This report should be cited as:
NICNAS 2017, Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in
Australia: Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets, Project report prepared by the National Industrial
Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) as part of the National Assessment of
Chemicals Associated with Coal Seam Gas Extraction in Australia, Commonwealth of Australia,
Canberra.
Acknowledgements
This report is one in a series prepared under the National Assessment of Chemicals Associated with
Coal Seam Gas Extraction in Australia. It was prepared by the National Industrial Chemicals
Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) of the Australian Government Department of Health.
The report was prepared between 2013 and 2016.
The report’s authors gratefully acknowledge input from the Project Steering Committee, which
comprised representatives from the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment
Scheme (NICNAS), the Department of the Environment and Energy, the Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Geoscience Australia (GA), and an independent scientific
member, Dr David Jones of DR Jones Environmental Excellence.
This report was subject to internal review and independent, external peer review processes during its
development.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this publication comprises general statements based on scientific and
other research. Reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the quality of the information in this
report. However, before relying on the information for a specific purpose, users should obtain
appropriate advice relevant to their particular circumstances. This report has been prepared using a
range of sources, including information from databases maintained by third parties, voluntary surveys,
and data supplied by industry. The Commonwealth has not verified and cannot guarantee the
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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

correctness or completeness of the information obtained from these sources. The Commonwealth
cannot guarantee and assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, currency,
completeness or interpretation of the information in this report, or for any loss or damage that may be
occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.
The material in this report may include the views or recommendations of third parties and does not
necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Australian Government, the Minister for the
Environment and Energy, the Minister for Health and Aged Care, or the IESC; nor does it indicate a
commitment to a particular course of action.
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If you are having difficulties with accessing this document please call the Department of the
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Reports in this series
The full set of technical reports in this series and the partner agency responsible for each is listed
below.
Technical Title Authoring agency
report
number
Reviewing existing literature
1 Literature review: Summary report NICNAS
2 Literature review: Human health implications NICNAS
3 Literature review: Environmental risks posed by chemicals Department of the
used coal seam gas operations Environment and
Energy
4 Literature review: Hydraulic fracture growth and well integrity CSIRO
5 Literature review: Geogenic contaminants associated with CSIRO
coal seam gas operations
6 Literature review: Identification of potential pathways to CSIRO
shallow groundwater of fluids associated with hydraulic
fracturing
Identifying chemicals used in coal seam gas extraction
7 Identification of chemicals associated with coal seam gas NICNAS
extraction in Australia
Modelling how people and the environment could come into contact with chemicals during coal seam gas
extraction
8 Human and environmental exposure conceptualisation: Soil CSIRO
to shallow groundwater pathways
9 Environmental exposure conceptualisation: Surface to Department of the
surface water pathways Environment and
Energy
10 Human and environmental exposure assessment: Soil to CSIRO
shallow groundwater pathways – A study of predicted
environmental concentrations
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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

Technical Title Authoring agency
report
number
Assessing risks to workers and the public
11 Chemicals of low concern for human health based on an NICNAS
initial assessment of hazards
12 Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal NICNAS
seam gas extraction in Australia
13 Human health risks associated with surface handling of NICNAS
chemicals used in coal seam gas extraction in Australia
Assessing risks to the environment
14 Environmental risks associated with surface handling of Department of the
chemicals used in coal seam gas extraction in Australia Environment and
Energy

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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

Contents
Abbreviations and units of measure ....................................................................................................... vii
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1
This Report: Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in
Australia: Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets .......................................................................... 1
A1 Boric acid, Sodium borate, Sodium tetraborate ............................................................................ 2
A2 Calcium chloride .......................................................................................................................... 22
A3 Triethanolamine ........................................................................................................................... 33
A4 Ethylene glycol ............................................................................................................................ 48
A5 Ethanedial ................................................................................................................................... 68
A6 Methyl isobutyl ketone ................................................................................................................. 85
A7 Glutaraldehyde .......................................................................................................................... 101
A8 Butoxyethanol ............................................................................................................................ 119
A9 Diethylene glycol ethyl ether ..................................................................................................... 148
A10 Precipitated silica, Amorphous silica ......................................................................................... 164
A11 Slaked lime ................................................................................................................................ 180
A12 Lime ........................................................................................................................................... 191
A13 Caustic soda .............................................................................................................................. 203
A14 Ethanolamine ............................................................................................................................ 216
A15 Sintered bauxite ........................................................................................................................ 230
A16 Cristobalite, Quartz, Tridymite, Calcined silica ......................................................................... 252
A17 MEA polyborate ......................................................................................................................... 273
A18 Polydimethyldiallylammonium chloride ..................................................................................... 287
A19 Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolone .................................................................... 296
A20 Benzisothiazolinone .................................................................................................................. 318
A21 Soda ash ................................................................................................................................... 329
A22 Bronopol .................................................................................................................................... 342
A23 THPS ......................................................................................................................................... 354
A24 Potassium carbonate................................................................................................................. 366
A25 Tetrasodium EDTA .................................................................................................................... 379
A26 Pigment Red 5 ........................................................................................................................... 400
A27 Ethanol ...................................................................................................................................... 416
A28 Acetic acid ................................................................................................................................. 435
A29 Deodorised kerosene ................................................................................................................ 448
A30 Methanol .................................................................................................................................... 460
A31 Isopropanol ................................................................................................................................ 483
A32 C6-C10 linear alkyl sulfate, ammonium salt .............................................................................. 502
A33 C6-12 ethoxylated alcohols ....................................................................................................... 519
A34 Sweet orange oil terpenes ........................................................................................................ 533
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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
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A35 Tetramethylammonium chloride ................................................................................................ 547
A36 Hydrochloric acid ....................................................................................................................... 557
A37 Sodium hypochlorite .................................................................................................................. 570
A38 Hydrogen peroxide .................................................................................................................... 591
A39 Ammonium persulfate, Sodium persulfate ................................................................................ 614
A40 Sodium sulfite ............................................................................................................................ 633
A41 Sodium chlorite .......................................................................................................................... 648
A42 Sodium thiosulfate ..................................................................................................................... 664
A43 Tributyltetradecyl phosphonium chloride................................................................................... 676
A44 Cellulase, Hemicellulase, Enzyme ............................................................................................ 687
A45 Alkanes, C12-26 branched and linear ....................................................................................... 702
A46 2-Ethylhexanol heavies ............................................................................................................. 715
A47 Quaternary amine, Amine salt ................................................................................................... 722
A48 Ester alcohol .............................................................................................................................. 731
A49 Ethoxylated fatty acid I, Ethoxylated fatty acid III ...................................................................... 736
A50 Ethoxylated fatty acid II ............................................................................................................. 742
A51 Fatty acids ester ........................................................................................................................ 747
A52 Inner salt of alkyl amines ........................................................................................................... 754
A53 Organic acid salt ........................................................................................................................ 760
A54 Organic sulfate .......................................................................................................................... 767
A55 Polyamine .................................................................................................................................. 774
A56 Polymer with substituted alkylacrylamide salt ........................................................................... 780
A57 Terpenes and terpenoids .......................................................................................................... 789

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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

Abbreviations and units of measure
Units Description
°C Degrees Celsius
cm2 Square centimetre
cm3 Cubic centimetre
m3 Cubic metre
dL Decilitre
g Gram
h Hour
kg Kilogram
kPa Kilopascal
L Litre
µm Micrometre
µmol Micromole
µL Microlitre
µg Microgram
mg Milligrams
mL Millilitre
mm Millimetre
mM Millimolar
mmol Millimole
ng Nanogram
ppm Parts per million
% Per cent

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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

1 Introduction
This Report: Human health hazards of chemicals associated
with coal seam gas extraction in Australia: Appendix A –
Hazard assessment sheets
This appendix describes part of the fourth stage of the Assessment – the risk assessment
and characterisation stage. An investigation undertaken in the initial stages of the
Assessment identified a total of 113 chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing for
coal seam gas extraction in Australia during the period 2010 to 2012. Chemicals were then
screened to identify chemical of low conern. The remaining chemicals were then assessed to
determine their hazards and risks. The findings of these investigations are documented in the
preceding reports entitled:
• Identification of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia
(NICNAS 2017a)
• Chemicals of low concern for human health based on an initial assessment of hazards
(NICNAS 2017b)
• Human health risks associated with surface handling of chemicals used in coal seam
gas extraction (NICNAS 2017c)
This Appendix to the Human Health Hazard Assessment report1 contains individual human
health hazard assessments for a total of 69 drilling and hydraulic fracturing chemicals. It has
been prepared as a set of stand-alone chapters presenting chemical (or groups of chemicals)
assessment information.
In addition to information on chemical identity and human health hazards, the assessment for
each chemical, or groups of chemicals, describes regulatory controls (in Australia and
overseas), and a health hazard characterisation based on information available at the time of
assessment. NICNAS has subsequently forwarded recommendations from these hazard
assessments to risk management agencies for adoption, so the current regulatory status of
individual chemicals may now reflect adoption of recommendations by these agencies.
The health hazards were characterised by analysing the toxicokinetics (the absorption,
distribution, metabolism and excretion of the chemical in humans or laboratory animals),
acute toxicity, irritation and corrosivity, repeat dose toxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity,
reproductive toxicity, and other health effects.
Details on the methodology used for human health hazard characterisation are available in
the human health hazard assessment report (NICNAS 2017d).

1 NICNAS 2017d, Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia,
report prepared by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) as part of
the National Assessment of Chemicals Associated with Coal Seam Gas Extraction in Australia project,
Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

A1 Boric acid, Sodium borate,
Sodium tetraborate
CAS No. CAS Name
10043-35-3 Boric acid (H BO )
3 3
12008-41-2 Boron sodium oxide (B Na O )
8 2 13
1303-96-4 Borax (Na (B O ).10H O)
2 4 7 2
This assessment is conducted as a group assessment of three substances ‒ boric acid
(H BO ), boron sodium oxide (B Na O ) (also referred to as boric acid disodium salt) and
3 3 8 2 13
borax (Na (B O ).10H O). To more easily distinguish various forms of borates in this report,
2 4 7 2
boric acid disodium salt will be referred to from here on by the synonym disodium octaborate
anhydrate.
1.1 Justification for group assessment
The toxicity of inorganic borates is driven predominantly by boron. Boric acid is a weak acid
with a pKa of 9.2 and exists, along with borate salts, in aqueous solutions at physiological pH
primarily as the undissociated acid (H BO ) (Woods 1994). In general, the chemical and
3 3
toxicological properties of boric acid and the sodium salts boric acid disodium salt (also
known as disodium octaborate anhydrate) and disodium tetraborate decahydrate (borax) are
expected to be similar on a mol boron/L equivalent basis when dissolved in water or
biological fluids at the same pH and low concentration (WHO 1998). Due to these expected
similarities, data gaps for individual borates in Table A1.1 can be filled by inference based on
information available for other borate species that differ in their degree of hydration (i.e. the
number of water molecules bound to the chemical in its crystal structure).
Table A1.1 Matrix of available toxicity endpoint data
Toxicity endpoints Boric Boric acid Borax Other borates
acid disodium differing in degree of
(Disodium
salt hydration
tetraborate
(Disodium decahydrate)
octaborate
anhydrate)
(cid:1)(disodium octaborate
Acute oral toxicity (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1)
tetrahydrate)
(cid:1) (disodium octaborate
Acute dermal toxicity (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1)
tetrahydrate)
Acute inhalation toxicity (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:2)
(cid:1)(disodium octaborate
Skin irritation (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1)
tetrahydrate)
(cid:1)(disodium octaborate
Eye irritation (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1)
tetrahydrate)
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Human health hazards of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia:
Appendix A – Hazard assessment sheets

Toxicity endpoints Boric Boric acid Borax Other borates
acid disodium differing in degree of
(Disodium
salt hydration
tetraborate
(Disodium decahydrate)
octaborate
anhydrate)
Respiratory irritation (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:2)
(cid:1)(disodium octaborate
Skin sensitisation (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1)
tetrahydrate)
Repeat dose toxicity
(cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1) (cid:2)
(oral)
Genotoxicity (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2)
Carcinogenicity (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1) (cid:2)
Reproductive toxicity (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1) (cid:2)
(cid:1) Existing data point (cid:2) Missing data point
1.2 Chemical identity
The following chemical identity information in Table A1.2 was obtained from
ChemIDplus (2012), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2010)
and RIVM (2013).
Table A1.2 Chemical properties
Boric acid Boric acid disodium salt Borax

Synonyms Boric acid Boron sodium oxide (B Na O ) Borax (Na (B O ).10H O)
8 2 13 2 4 7 2
(H BO )
3 3 Disodium octaborate anhydrate Disodium tetraborate,
Boracic acid decahydrate
Boric acid (H B O )
2 8 13
Boron hydroxide Sodium borate,
Disodium salt
decahydrate
Boron
Sodium borate
trihydroxide Sodium tetraborate
Orthoboric acid Sodium tetraborate,
decahydrate

Structural
formula

Molecular BH O B Na O B Na O .10H O
3 3 8 2 13 4 2 7 2
formula
Molecular 61.83 340.47 381.37
weight
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