AMMONIUM SULFATE CAS N°: 7783-20-2

OECD SIDS
AMMONIUM SULFATE
228 µg/m 3 , with the means ranging from 0.8 - 31.5 µg/m 3 . The average daily intake from air would
amount to 0.02 - 0.63 µg assuming 20 m 3 of inhaled air per day (WHO, 1996). In winter indoor
sulfate levels (21.6 nmol/m 3 ) were shown to be similar to outdoor sulfate levels (30.6 nmol/m 3 ) and
were predominantly of outdoor origin (cf section 2.2.1; Sinclair et al., 1992). The use of kerosene
heaters has been shown to increase indoor sulfate levels (82.7 nmol/m 3 ); the major form of the
indoor sulfate was ammonium sulfate (Leaderer et al., 1999).
Sulfate occurs in drinking water with a median concentration of 24 mg/l and the 99 th percentile
concentration of 560 mg/l as measured by the U.S. EPA in 2001. The average daily intake of sulfate
in food in the US has been estimated to be 453 mg (EPA 2002). From this data it can be seen that
consumer exposure to sulfate is low: 453 mg per day via food, 48 mg per day via drinking water
assuming 2 l drinking water per day and 0.63 ug per day via air assuming 20 m 3 respiratory volume.
Sulfates are natural components of food; ammonium sulfate is “generally recognized as safe
(GRAS)” and approved as a food additive in the U.S. (FDA 2003) and in Europe (E 517; EU,
1995).
Ammonium (ammonia and ammonium) intake via food is 18 mg/day, via air and water
< 1 mg/day.Endogenous production of ammonia (4000 mg/day) is about 2 orders of magnitude
higher than exogenous intake.(WHO, 1986, 1996) According to the information provided by the
Product Registers, exposure of the general public to ammonium sulfate may occur mainly through
the use of fertilizer or horticulture products and to a minor extent through the use of paints and
cleaning products (cf Chapter 2.1).
3 HUMAN HEALTH HAZARDS
3.1 Effects on Human Health
The following endpoint studies with ammonium sulfate were not available,
- fertility
- developmental toxicity
- genotoxicity in vivo
As ammonium sulfate dissociates in biological systems studies with other ammonium and sulfate
salts can be used to cover these endpoints: A screening study according to OECD TG 422 with
ammonium phosphate as analogue substance, which forms ammonium ions in aqueous solutions is
available. Fully valid fertility studies with analogue compounds containing sulfate ions are however
lacking. Two limited studies with sodium sulfate can be used for assessment of fertility and
developmental toxicity, however, in none of these studies have the fetuses been examined
histologically.
There are no in vivo data on genotoxicity for ammonium sulfate. To bridge the data gap, data for
ammonium chloride, which dissociates in aqueous media to form ammonium ions, as does
ammonium sulfate, will be used. However, data on sulfate ions are not available.
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