Distillates (coal tar), heavy oils

Toxicity to other aquatic organisms

Administrative data

Endpoint:

toxicity to other aquatic vertebrates

Type of information:

migrated information: read-across from supporting substance (structural analogue or surrogate)

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Study according to scientific standards, basic data given

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Chronic Toxicity of Phenanthrene to the Marine Polychaete Worm, Nereis (Neanthes) arenaceodentata

Author:

Emery VL, Jr. and Dillon TM

Year:

1996

Bibliographic source:

Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 56, 265-270, 1996

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Qualifier:

no guideline available

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Emerging juvenile (EJ) polychaete worms were exposed to a concentration of 20 µg/L phenanthrene for 8 weeks in saltwater. Survival, growth, fecundity, EJ production, EJ size, and time from pairing to egg deposition were observed and evaluated. 96 h und 14 d LC50 were determined for emerging juveniles and immature adults respectively.

GLP compliance:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Phenanthrene

EC Number:

201-581-5

EC Name:

Phenanthrene

Cas Number:

85-01-8

Molecular formula:

C14H10

IUPAC Name:

phenanthrene

Test material form:

other: solid

Details on test material:

- Name of test material (as cited in study report): phenanthrene (obtained from Aldrich Chemical Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA)
- Substance type: organic, PAH
- Physical state: solid
- Analytical purity: 98%
- Impurities (identity and concentrations):
- Lot/batch No.: Lot #01128E2

Sampling and analysis

Analytical monitoring:

no

Test solutions

Vehicle:

yes

Details on test solutions:

PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF TEST SOLUTION (especially for difficult test substances)
- Method: Test substance was introduced in conjunction with the normal worm feeding ration.
- Chemical name of vehicle (organic solvent, emulsifier or dispersant): acetone
- Concentration of vehicle in test medium (stock solution and final test solution): 1000 µg/L (immature adult test) and 100 µg/L (emerging juvenile test - EJ)
- Evidence of undissolved material (e.g. precipitate, surface film, etc): no data

Test organisms

Test organisms (species):

other: Nereis (Neanthes) arenaceodentata

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: polychaete worm
- Age at study initiation (mean and range, SD): immature adult and emerging juvenils
- Feeding during test : yes
- Food type: TetraMarin-alfalfa food slurry
- Amount:
- Frequency: three times per week for adults test; once at the beginning of the emerging juvenil test

Study design

Test type:

static

Water media type:

saltwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

8 wk

Test conditions

Salinity:

30 ‰

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel: 38 L aquaria (8 wks chronic study), 250 mL beakers (EJ range finder test), 1 L beakers (immature adults range finder test)
- Type (delete if not applicable): open
- Material, fill volume: glas, 30 L (8 wks chronic study), 200 mL (EJ range finder test), 800 mL (immature adults range finder test)
- Aeration: no data
- Renewal rate of test solution (frequency/flow rate): no data
- No. of organisms per vessel: 100 (8 wks chronic study), 10 (EJ range finder test), 5 (immature adults range finder test)
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 4 (8 wks chronic study), 3 (EJ range finder test), 4 (immature adults range finder test)
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 4 (8 wks chronic study), 3 (EJ range finder test), 4 (immature adults range finder test)
- No. of vessels per vehicle control (replicates): 4 (8 wks chronic study), 3 (EJ range finder test), 4 (immature adults range finder test)
- Biomass loading rate: no data

TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- No data

OTHER TEST CONDITIONS
- No data

EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED (with observation intervals if applicable) : growth (dry weight), effects on reproduction (fecunditiy and EJ production), EJ size, time from pairing to egg depositions, total egg lipids, phenanthrene tissue content (chronic test), morftalitiy (EJ and immature adults range finder test

TEST CONCENTRATIONS
- Justification for using less concentrations than requested by guideline: 1 concentration for chronic study (no guideline study)
- Range finding study: 2 experiments, one with emerging juveniles, one with immature adults
- Test concentrations: 20 µg/L (chronic study); 10, 18, 32, 56, 100 µg/L (EJ range finder test); 100, 178, 316, 562, 1000 µg/L (immature adult range finding test
- Results used to determine the conditions for the definitive study: emerging juvenile 96-hr LC50 of 51 µg/L, immature adult 14-d LC50 of 501 µg/L

Results and discussion

Effect concentrations

Effect concentrations 1

Duration:

8 wk

Dose descriptor:

LOEC

Effect conc.:

20 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

other: growth, fecundity, emerging juveniles production

Effect concentrations 2

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

51 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality

Remarks on result:

other: 95% CL = 46-47 µg/L, test organism emergent juveniles

Effect concentrations 3

Duration:

14 d

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

501 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality

Remarks on result:

other: 95% CL = 425-590 µg/L, test organism immature adults

Any other information on results incl. tables

There was no difference in LC50 results in experiments with and without sediment.

After 8 weeks of chronic exposure, survival was high and not significantly different among experimental treatments. The acetone carrier had a significant and positive effect on growth and reproduction relative to worms in the seawater control.

Compared to acetone carrier, treatment significantly diminished growth, fecundity and EJ production and significantly increased the time between pairing and egg deposition.

Worms accumulated 780 µg phenanthrene/kg ww during the 8 week exposure.

Exposed worms produced copious amounts of mucus and did not actively feed during the latter half of the 8 week exposure. When removed from the aquaria, they were very lethargic and did not exhibit the normal fighting behaviour. Normal behaviour resumed after 24 hrs in clean seawater.

Symptoms indicate non-specific narcosis.