Amines, C11-C13 (linear and branched) alkyl

Endpoint summary

Description of key information

Short-term toxicity to fish:

Acutely very toxic to fish (96 -h LC50 = 0.065 mg/L, based on measured test item concentrations).

 

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates:

Acutely very toxic to aquatic invertebrates (48 -h EC50 = 0.015 mg/L, based measured test item concentrations).

 

Growth inhibition to aquatic algae:

Acutely very toxic to aquatic algae (freshwater species: 72-h EC50 = 0.015 mg/L, 72-h EC10 = 0.0032 mg/L; marine species: 96-h EC50 = 0.2 mg/L, all values are based on nominal concentrations).

 

Toxicity to microorganisms:

Depending on local and existing concentrations, disturbances in the biodegradation process of activated sludge are possible (30-min EC50 = 40 mg/L, based on nominal concentrations).

 

Additional information

Tridecylamine, branched and linear (CAS 86089-17-0) is a mixture of C13 isomers (branched and linear; 99.8 -100%).

Toxicity is related to the length of the hydrophobic carbon chains: the longer (or greater the number of carbons) the chain the more toxic to aquatic organisms when the number of amines is constant; and the greater the number of amines, the greater the toxicity given a constant carbon chain length. Small aliphatic amines are more toxic to algae than fish and invertebrates; higher molecular weight amines are equally toxic to all aquatic organisms. Small aliphatic amines which are un-ionized are more toxic to fish than when they are ionized; toxicity to algae appears to be unaffected by ionization. Strong ion pairs are generally much less toxic to fish and invertebrates because of solubility limitations, but remain highly toxic to green algae.”

The source substance are the two extremes of possible constituents of the target substance: one linear and one branched isomer. Therefore, they have an identical composition, an identical number of amines, but a different length of the alkyl chains. Given the explanation above, stating that the toxicity of aliphatic amines grows with the length of the alkyl chain, it can be assumed that the toxicity to aquatic organisms of the linear isomer will be higher compared to the branched isomer. Data for the linear isomer can thus be regarded as a worst-case.

Therefore, the assessment of ecotoxicology is predominantly focused on the linear isomer (CAS 2869 -34 -3).

Short-term toxicity to fish:

In a study according to APHA standard methods for the examination of water and waste water in a flow through system the 96 -h LC 50 value was determined to be 0.065 mg/L, based on measured test item concentrations. (Read-across to CAS 2869-34-3; Geiger, 1990, published: ISBN 0-9614968-5-1, University of Wisconsin-Superior, USA). Moreover, in a non-GLP study, conducted with the isomer mix (CAS 86089-17-0), a 96 -h LC50 value of 1.26 mg/L based on nominal concentrations was determined. (BASF AG, 1983). Therefore, based on the available experimental data CAS 86089-17-0 is considered to be acutely very toxic to fish.

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates:

For the assessment of the toxicity of the test substance the (48 h) GLP static study on Daphnia magna following OECD TG 202 was used. The analysis of test concentrations was conducted by GC-MS; the results are expressed as mean measured concentrations. The 48 -h EC50 based on measured test item concentrations on was 0.015 mg/L. (Read-across to CAS 2869-34-3; Pedersen et al., 1998).

Effects on daphnids were determined in two older studies performed similarly to nowadays methods with the target substance (CAS 86089-17-0; according to DIN 38412, L11). Based on nominal concentrations, the 48-h EC50 values on Daphnia magna were extrapolated by linear regression analysis to be 0.7 mg/L (BASF AG, 1989, Rep. no.: 1/1034/2/88) and 0.08 mg/L respectively (Amann, 1989, Rep. no.: 82.102.05.308).

Additional information on the toxicity to Daphnia magna are available from a non-GLP screening study with Daphnia magna which was conducted to study the potential mitigating effect of humic acid on the toxicity of tridecylamine, branched and linear (CAS 86089-17-0; BASF SE, 2016; report no. 85E0391/03E010). However, due to considerable restrictions (e.g. no analytical verification of test item concentrations, the high spacing factor, low number of replicates, low number of test item concentrations), the screening study is disregarded in terms of the chemical safety assessment.

Based on the available experimental data on the test substance itself and the read-across data, CAS 86089-17-0 is considered to be acutely very toxic to aquatic invertebrates.

 

Growth inhibition to aquatic algae:

The assessment of the toxicity of the test substance to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria is based on the experimental data from freshwater studies on the target substance TDA, b+l (CAS 86089-17-0) and from marine studies on the analogue substance 1-tridecanamine (CAS 2869-34-3). Following results were maintained during the tests: freshwater species: 72-h EC50 = 0.015 mg/L, 72-h EC10 = 0.0032 mg/L (BASF AG, 1988-1989; Rep no.: 2/1034/(2)/88(89)); marine species: 96-h EC50 = 0.2 mg/L (Dunaliella salina; Finlay & Callow, 1996) and 0.8 mg/L (Amphora coffeaefornis; Finlay & Callow, 1996), all values are based on nominal concentrations

Based on the available experimental data for the target substance and experimental read-across data for its structural analogue, it can be concluded, that tridecylamine, branched and linear (CAS 86089 -17 -0) is acutely very toxic to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria.

 

Toxicity to microorganisms:

The assessment of CAS 86089 -17 -0 to aquatic microorganisms is based on the experimental data from a non-GLP short-term respiration inhibition test following OECD TG 209. Activated domestic sludge was used as inoculum. The 30-min EC50 was stated with ca. 40 mg/l (nominal concentrations, BASF AG, 1992, Rep. no. 407). In accordance to this, an EC50 of 46 mg/L was determined in another OECD TG 209 study using non-adapted industrial sludge (nominal concentrations; BASF AG, 1983).

Based on the experimental data, it can be concluded that depending on local conditions and existing concentrations, disturbances in the biodegradation process of activated sludge are possible.

Conclusion:

Daphnids and freshwater algae turned out to be the most sensitive trophic levels revealing an (48h) ErC50 of 0.015 mg/L (daphnia: read-across to CAS 2869-34-0, Pedersen et al., 1998; algae: BASF AG, 1988-1989; Rep no.: 2/1034/(2)/88(89)) and an ErC10 of 0.0032 mg/L (algae: BASF AG, 1988-1989; Rep no.: 2/1034/(2)/88(89)). Summing up, it can be concluded that the target substance is acutely very toxic to aquatic invertebrates and algae, therefore, CAS 86089-17-0 is considered to be acutely very toxic to aquatic organisms.