Derivation of GCI from Chemical Class

The second useful approach to generate a GCI is to begin with the chemical class of the CBI ingredient. The objective is the same as the masking approach, that is, to obtain the most precise GCI which is consistent with the exemption. Assume, for example, that the CBI ingredient is an anionic surfactant. There are four broad classes of anionic surfactants: sulphates, sulphonates, carboxylates and phosphates. For the purpose of the HMIRR, these classes could be considered as generic names. As in this example, generic names are not specific enough to be used as GCI. Each class may include one or more specific types of surfactants, based on their structural similarity. The types could be considered for the purposes of WHMIS as potential GCIs. It may be possible to provide a GCI with more specificity of structure, particularly for the quaternary ammonium derivatives where the parent structure is, for example, pyridine or a cyclic amine.

1. Anionics—includes sulphate types such as fatty acid sulphates and fatty alcohol sulphates; sulphonate types—alpha-olefin or aliphatic sulphonates, and alkylaryl sulphonates (as acids or salts); carboxylate types include sulfosuccinates and sarcosines; phosphate types include amide phosphates and alkoxy phosphates; and metallic soaps (formed by metals heavier than sodium, e.g. cobalt, lead, zinc, etc.)
2. Nonionics—includes esters (e.g. sorbitan esters, polyglycol/fatty acid esters, glycerides); alkoxylates (e.g. fatty alcohol, alkylphenol and amide alkoxylates, block polymers); and alkanolamides (e.g. fatty acid alkanolamides).
3. Cationics—includes quaternary ammonium derivatives (e.g. aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic quaternaries and their respective salts such as benzalkonium chloride or alkylaryl quaternary salt); amidoamines (e.g. amidoamine salts and oxides); and betaines (e.g. N-alkylbetaines).
4. Amphoterics—includes imidazoline derivatives (e.g. imidazoline sulphonates and imidazoline carboxylates) and aminocarboxylates (e.g. N-alkylaminocarboxylates).

Date Modified: 2010-12-15

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