Section 9
Physical and chemical properties
Information Elements
- Physical state
- Colour
- Odour
- Melting point and freezing point
- Boiling point or initial boiling point and boiling range
- Flammability
- Lower and upper explosion limit or lower and upper flammability limit
- Flash point
- Auto-ignition temperature
- Decomposition temperature
- pH
- Kinematic viscosity
- Solubility
- Partition coefficient — n-octanol/water (logarithmic value)
- Vapour pressure
- Density and relative density
- Relative vapour density
- Particle characteristics
Most common non-compliances
- Incorrect disclosure of “not available” vs “not applicable” for individual physical and chemical properties.
- Odour descriptors do not provide sufficient information on the quality and intensity of the odour, such as disclosing only “mild” or “strong”.
- Units for the physical and chemical properties are disclosed incorrectly, such as disclosing the melting point and freezing point in units other than degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.
- pH is disclosed using qualitative descriptors (such as “slightly basic”).
- The physical state or form disclosed is not acceptable for the product type, such as a powder to be mixed with water cannot be disclosed as a liquid for its physical state.
Tips
Physical and Chemical Properties
The appropriate unit of measure must be disclosed.- The reference conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure) to which a property is measured against must be disclosed, where appropriate.
- pH must be disclosed as a numerical value.
General
The table below provides guidelines on the applicability of the information elements to hazardous products in various states. This should be applied only as general guidance. The applicability may differ based on specific properties of the hazardous product. Information elements identified as “Applicable” must be disclosed with the appropriate information or if the information is not available, an indication to the effect must be disclosed.Specific Information Element Gases Liquids Solids 9(a) physical state Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(b) colour Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(c) odour Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(d) melting point and freezing point Not applicable Applicable Applicable 9(e) boiling point or initial boiling point and boiling range Not applicable Applicable Applicable 9(f) flammability Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(g) lower and upper explosion limit or lower and upper flammability limit Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(h) flash point Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(i) auto-ignition temperature Applicable Applicable Not applicable / Applicable* 9(j) decomposition temperature Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(k) pH Not applicable Applicable Not applicable 9(l) kinematic viscosity Not applicable Applicable Not applicable / Applicable* 9(m) solubility Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(n) Partition coefficient — n-octanol/water (logarithmic value) Not applicable Applicable Applicable 9(o) vapour pressure Not applicable Applicable Applicable 9(p) density and relative density Applicable Applicable Applicable 9(q) relative vapour density Applicable Applicable Not applicable 9(r) particle characteristics Not applicable** Not applicable** Applicable - * The information element may be applicable or not applicable based on the properties of the specific hazardous product.
- ** If the product is an aerosol or liquid suspension containing ingredients that are solid particles, the particle characteristics should be provided for those ingredients.