Lithium fluoride

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Reference 1

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Study period:

1997-06-13 to 1997-12-23

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 202 (Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test)

Version / remarks:

1984

Deviations:

no

GLP compliance:

yes

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Details on sampling:

Samples were analyzed for lithium in triplicate using a FLM-AAS method developed and validated by the FMC Corporation. Measured concentrations of lithium chloride were calculated by multiplying measured lithium concentrations by 14.427.

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

Test solutions were prepared by adding the appropriate amounts of lithium chloride (0.0641, 0.1240, 0.2493, 0.5006 and 0.9923 g) directly to five 1 L volumes of dilution water. The resulting nominal concentrations were 64.1, 124, 249, 501, 992 mg LiCl/L. A dilution water control was maintained concurrently with the test solutions.

Test organisms (species):

Daphnia magna

Details on test organisms:

Water fleas will be neonates (i.e. <24 hours old) obtained by isolating gravid females from the culture water in food-free dilution water < 24 hours prior to beginning of the test.

Test type:

static

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

48 h

Hardness:

c(CaCO3) = 82 mg/L

Test temperature:

19.4 to 20.8 °C

pH:

At test initiation: pH 7.1 to 8.6
Remainder of the test: pH 7.0 to 7.1

Dissolved oxygen:

at test initiation: 9.3 mg/L (100 % of saturation)
remainder of the test: 8.4 to 8.9 mg/L (94 to 98 % of saturation)

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Nominal concentrations: control, 64.1, 124, 249, 501 and 992 mg LiCl/L
Measured concentrations: 0.0, 63.4, 123, 249, 501 and 978 mg LiCl/L

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Key result

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

249 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (geom. mean)

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Remarks:

LiCl

Basis for effect:

mobility

Remarks on result:

other: 95% CL: 197 and 315 mg/L

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

63.4 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (geom. mean)

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Remarks:

LiCl

Basis for effect:

mobility

Details on results:

The 48-hour EC50 was 249 mg/L (based on mean measured concentrations) with 95% confidence limits of 197 and 315 mg/L. The NOEC was 63.4 mg/L.

Results with reference substance (positive control):

No reference substance

Reported statistics and error estimates:

The EC50 values were estimated by a computer program (Wheat, 1989) using the following statistical methods: moving average angle, probit, logit, and non-linear interpolation. Confidence limits for EC50 values determined by non-linear interpolation were calculated by binomial probability. The method selected for reporting the test results was determined by the characteristics of the data, i.e., the presence or absence of 0% and 100% mortality and the number of concentrations in which mortalities between 0 and 100 % occurred.

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Conclusions:

The 48-hour EC50 in Daphnia magna was 249 mg lithium chloride/L (based on mean measured concentrations) with 95 % confidence limits of 197 and 315 mg/L. The NOEC was 63.4 mg lithium chloride/L.

Executive summary:

A static freshwater toxicity test was conducted to determine the acute toxicity of lithium chloride to the water flea, Daphnia magna according to OECD Guideline 202. Mean measured concentrations of lithium chloride ranged from 63.4 to 978 mg/L and from 99 to 109 % of nominal. All test solutions appeared clear and colourless and concentrations remained stable throughout the test. Mortality of the water flea exposed for 48 hours to lithium chloride ranged from 5 % at test concentrations smaller or equal to 123 mg/L and 100 % at a concentration greater than or equal to 501 mg/L. One water flea treated with 63.4 mg/L died as a result of becoming physically stuck to the wall of the test chamber, his death was not chemically related. Control mortality was 0 %.The 48-hour EC50 was 249 mg lithium chloride/L with 95 % confidence limits of 197 and 315 mg/L.The NOEC was 63.4 mg/L.

Reference 2

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

data from handbook or collection of data

Qualifier:

no guideline followed

Principles of method if other than guideline:

The review includes summaries of a number of studies, performed to various guidelines.

GLP compliance:

not specified

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

no data

Test organisms (species):

other: Daphnia sp. and benthic trichoptera larvae

Details on test organisms:

no data

Test type:

static

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Remarks on exposure duration:

The duration of the test ranged from 24-96 h.

Post exposure observation period:

No data

Hardness:

Values ranged between 12 - 250 mg CaCO3/L.

Test temperature:

no data

pH:

no data

Dissolved oxygen:

no data

Salinity:

no data

Nominal and measured concentrations:

no data

Reference substance (positive control):

not specified

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

26 - < 48 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (not specified)

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: benthic trichoptera larvae; Hardness: 12-19 mg CaCO3/L (Camargo & Tarazona 1990)

Key result

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

97 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: Daphnia magna; Hardness: 250 mg CaCO3/L (Janssen at al. 1989)

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

153 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: Daphnia magna, Hardness: 173 mg CaCO3/L (LeBlanc 1984)

Duration:

24 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

352 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: Daphnia magna, Hardness: 250 mg CaCO3/L (Kühn et al. 1988)

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

270 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: Daphnia sp.; Hardness: 270 mg CaCO3/L (Bringman & Kühn 1959)

Details on results:

no data

Results with reference substance (positive control):

no data

Reported statistics and error estimates:

no data

The EC50 values for daphnids range from 97 to 352 mg/L and are based on nominal concentrations. Water hardness in these studies ranged from 173 to 250 mg CaCO3/L. Benthic insect larvae were found to be more sensitive with EC50-values ranging from 26 to 48 mg/L (actual concentrations), but these tests were carried out in soft water. The EU RAR for hydrogen fluoride notes the existence of additional EC50 values in the range 109 to 340 mg F-/L, cited in the RIVM Integrated Criteria Document Fluoride (Slooff et al., 1988).

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not specified

Conclusions:

The EC50 values for daphnids range from 97 to 352 mg/L (Hardness: 173 - 250 mg CaCO3/L). Benthic insect larvae were found to be more sensitive with EC50-values ranging from 26 to 48 mg/L (Hardness: 12 - 19 mg CaCO3/L).

Executive summary:

The EU RAR reviews and summarizes the available data on short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates. Reported EC50 values for Daphnia spp. ranged from 97-352 mg/L and were based on nominal concentrations. For benthic trichoptera larvae EC50 values after 96 hours of exposure ranged between 26 – 48 mg F/L.

Reference 3

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

data from handbook or collection of data

Qualifier:

no guideline followed

Principles of method if other than guideline:

The review includes summaries of a number of studies, performed to various guidelines

GLP compliance:

not specified

Analytical monitoring:

not specified

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

no data

Test organisms (species):

other: Mysidopsis bahia and Perna perna

Test type:

static

Water media type:

saltwater

Limit test:

no

Remarks on exposure duration:

The duration of the test ranged from 96-120 h.

Post exposure observation period:

no data

Hardness:

no data

Test temperature:

no data

pH:

no data

Dissolved oxygen:

no data

Salinity:

20 ‰

Nominal and measured concentrations:

no data

Details on test conditions:

no data

Reference substance (positive control):

not specified

Key result

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

10.5 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: Mysidopsis bahia; Salinity unknown (LeBlanc 1984)

Duration:

120 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

39 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

estimated

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: Perna perna; 1.5 - 2.5 cm, Salinity: 20 ‰ (Hemens & Warwick 1972)

Duration:

120 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

20 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

estimated

Conc. based on:

other: fluoride ion (F-)

Basis for effect:

not specified

Remarks on result:

other: Perna perna; 4.5 - 7 cm, Salinity: 20 ‰ (Hemens & Warwick 1972)

Details on results:

The EC50 values for daphnids range from 97 to 352 mg/L and are based on nominal concentrations. The EC50 values for Perna perna were derived from the reported effect concentrations using the Spearmann-Karber environmental scenario.

Results with reference substance (positive control):

no data

Reported statistics and error estimates:

no data

The EU RAR for hydrogen fluoride notes the existence of additional short-term toxicity EC50 values for marine invertebrates in the range of 30 - 500 mg F-/L, cited in the RIVM Integrated Criteria Document Fluoride (Slooff et al, 1988).

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not specified

Conclusions:

The EC50 values for marine invertebrates exposed to sodium fluoride range from 10.5 to 39 mg/L.

Executive summary:

The EU RAR reviews and summarizes the available data on short-term toxicity to marine invertebrates. Reported EC50 values for Mysidopsis bahia and Perna perna ranged from 10.5 - 39 mg F/L and are based on nominal concentrations.

Description of key information

For daphnia magna an LC50 value of 97 mg F-/L after 48 hours of exposure was determined. This value corresponds to an LC50 of 132.44 mg LiF/L. For the marine species Mysidopsis bahia an LC50 of 10.5 mg F-/L was determined after an exposure duration of 48 hours. The recalculated LC50 for lithium fluoride is 14.34 mg/L (EU-RAR 2001).

 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

132.44 mg/L

Marine water invertebrates

Marine water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

14.34 mg/L

Additional information

A short-term toxicity study on aquatic invertebrates with lithium fluoride is not available. Consequently, read-across was applied using characteristically similar compounds, lithium chloride and sodium fluoride.

Read-across with sodium fluoride (EU-RAR 2001):
The EU-RAR reviews and summarizes the available data on short-term toxicity to marine and freshwater invertebrates. Reported EC50 values for Daphnia spp. ranged from 97 - 352 mg/L (based on nominal concentrations). The recalculated EC50 values for lithium fluoride are between 132.44 - 480.62 mg/L for Daphnia spp. For benthic trichoptera larvae EC50 values ranged between 26 – 48 mg F/L after 96 hours of exposure, corresponding to 35.5 – 65.54 mg LiF/L.
Reported EC50 values for the marine species Mysidopsis bahia and Perna perna ranged from 10.5 - 39 mg F/L (based on nominal concentrations). Based on these data, the calculated EC50 values for lithium fluoride are between 14.34 - 53.25 mg/L for the tested marine species.

Read-across with lithium chloride (Toxikon 1997):
A static freshwater toxicity test was conducted to determine the acute toxicity of lithium chloride to the water flea, Daphnia magna, according to OECD Guideline 202. Mean measured concentrations of lithium chloride ranged from 63.4 to 978 mg/L and from 99 to 109 % of nominal. All test solutions appeared clear and colourless and concentrations remained stable throughout the test. Mortality of the water flea exposed for 48 hours to lithium chloride ranged from 5 % at test concentrations smaller or equal to 123 mg/L and 100 % at a concentration greater than or equal to 501 mg/L. One water flea treated with 63.4 mg/L died as a result of becoming physically stuck to the wall of the test chamber, this death was not chemically related. Control mortality was 0 %.The 48-hour EC50 was 249 mg Lithium chloride/L with 95 % confidence limits of 197 and 315 mg/L. The NOEC was 63.4 mg/L. Based on the molecular weight the recalculated EC50 and NOEC values for lithium fluoride are 152.37 mg/L and 38.8 mg/L, respectively.

Conclusion:  Based on the available data, the lowest observed EC50 values were 35.5 - 65 .54 mg LiF/L (based on EC50 of 26 - 48 mg F/L) for benthic trichoptera larvae. These values were not used for the risk assessment, because further information about the study design is not given in the review article. In addition, the use of trichoptera is not recommended in the guideline. The results of the GLP study (Toxikon 1997, J9705004a) and EU RAR (2002) with the guideline compliant species Daphnia magna showed a good agreement with EC50 values of 152.37 mg LiF/L and 132.44 mg LiF/L. Since aquatic invertebrates seemed to be more sensitive to fluoride compounds and for worst-case consideration the lowest observed EC50 value (132.44 mg LiF/L) with the guideline species Daphnia magna was considered as key value. For marine species, the lowest observed EC50 value was 14.34 mg LiF/L for Mysidopsis bahia after 96 hours of exposure and was therefore chosen as key value.