Terphenyl, hydrogenated

Bioaccumulation: aquatic / sediment

Key value for chemical safety assessment

BCF (aquatic species):

5 200 dimensionless

Additional information

For the assessment of the bioconcentration potential three studies were available, one of which clearly presented the most complete, reliable and relevant data. In this study, bluegill fish (Lepomis macrochirus) were exposed to a mean concentration of 32 µg/L of the mixture of hydrogenated terphenyl, partially hydrogenated quater- and polyphenyls, and terphenyl

in a flow through system for 42 days, after which a depuration phase of 42 days took place. The bioconcentration factors for the mixture of hydrogenated terphenyl, partially hydrogenated quater- and polyphenyls, and terphenyl (whole substance) calculated for wholefish and muscle tissue were 2000 (3000 Biofac) and 700 (1300 Biofac), respectively. The uptake and depuration rate constants, T1/2 and time to equilibrium for whole fish were calculated by the Biofac model to be 192 L/kg/day, 0.06 days-1, 11 days and 3 days, respectively.

 

It should be noted though that the relevance of this study is mainly situated in the results of the responses of group I (representing probably o-terphenyl and some terphenyl with one ring saturated) and group II (mixture of terphenyls with one and two rings saturated). For group I, the mean exposure concentration was 1.5 µg/L and the calculated BCFs were 5200 (9100 Biofac) and 2000 (3100 Biofac) for wholefish and muscle tissue, respectively. For group II the mean exposure concentration was 19 µg/L and the calculated BCFs for wholefish and muscle tissue were 2400 (3700 Biofac) and 800 (1200 Biofac), respectively.

The available supporting study (MITI, 2004) was also indicative of the bioaccumulative potential of the substance. This is however currently a K4 study since the original study report is not available.