Styrene

Short-term toxicity to fish

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Reference 1

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to fish

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

27 March - 31 March 1995

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: GLP - Guideline study

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 203 (Fish, Acute Toxicity Test)

Version / remarks:

and: EC Guideline L383A-C.1

Deviations:

no

GLP compliance:

yes

Remarks:

no attest of authority

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF TEST SOLUTION (especially for difficult test substances)
- Eluate: water

Test organisms (species):

Pimephales promelas

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: Fathead Minnow
- Source: Springborn Laboratories, USA
- Length at study initiation (length definition, mean, range and SD): mean: 37mm, range 29 to 46 mm
- Weight at study initiation (mean and range, SD): mean 0.51 g, range 0.20 to 0.85 g
- Feeding during test
- Food type: dry commercial pellet food
- Amount: ad libitum
- Frequency: daily except during the 48-hours prior to testing


ACCLIMATION
- Health during acclimation (any mortality observed): No mortality during the 48-hour period prior to tesing

Test type:

flow-through

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

96 h

Hardness:

34 to 36 mg/L

Test temperature:

21-22 °C

pH:

6.9 to 7.1

Dissolved oxygen:

91 to 96%

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Nominal: 3.9, 6.5, 11, 18, 30 and 50 mg A.I./L
Mean measured: 2.0, 4.0, 7.6, 11, 19, and 31 mg A.I./L

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel:
- Type (delete if not applicable): closed
- Material, size, headspace, fill volume: glass, 3.8 L, zero headpsace
- Aeration: no
- Type of flow-through (e.g. peristaltic or proportional diluter): proportional diluter
- Renewal rate of test solution (frequency/flow rate): 15 x in 24 h
- No. of organisms per vessel: 10
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 20
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 2
- Biomass loading rate: 0.089 g/L

TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- Source/preparation of dilution water: 100-meter deep bedrock well
- Pesticides: less than 0.3 mg/kg
- Alkalinity: 21 to 23 mg/L
- Conductivity: 140 µmhos/cm

OTHER TEST CONDITIONS
- Photoperiod: 16h
- Light intensity: 40 to 70 footcandles

EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED (with observation intervals if applicable) :

TEST CONCENTRATIONS
- Spacing factor for test concentrations: 1.7
- Range finding study
- Test concentrations: 3.9, 6.5, 11, 18, 30, 50 mg A.I./L

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

10 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

act. ingr.

Basis for effect:

mortality (fish)

Remarks on result:

other: lower: 9, upper: 12 mg A.I./L

Details on results:

- Behavioural abnormalities: Within the concentrations 7.6, 11 and 19 mg A.I./L the fish showed loss of equilibrium and erratic swimming behaviour
- Mortality of control: 0%

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Executive summary:

Styrole was testet for possible toxicological effects in an acute test on the Fish Pimephales promelas. The LC 50 after 96 h was found to be 10 mg/L. 

Reference 2

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to fish

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Meets generally accepted scientific standards, well documented and acceptable for assessment

Qualifier:

no guideline followed

Principles of method if other than guideline:

96h flow -through acute fish tox test.

GLP compliance:

not specified

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF TEST SOLUTION (especially for difficult test substances)
- Eluate: water

Test organisms (species):

Pimephales promelas

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: Fathead Minnow
- Source: U.S. EPA Environmental Research Laboratory-Duluth and the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus
- Age at study initiation (mean and range, SD): 30d
- Length at study initiation (length definition, mean, range and SD): 19.0 mm, SD 2.404 mm
- Weight at study initiation (mean and range, SD): 0.101 g, SD 0.0398 g
- Housing: Adults were held at 25°C in flowing water with a controlled photoperiod of 16-hr light. Food: frozen adult brlne shrimp (Artemia sp.).
- Method of breeding: Culture chambers were provided with asbestos or plastic pipes (cut in half longitudinally) as spawning substrates, to which the naturally spawned and fertilized embryos became attached to the undersides. The substrates, with intact embryos, were then transferred into anothar 25°C bath where hatching occurred, or the substrates were removed just prior to hatching, then placed in a rearing bath. Larvae were fed 40- to 48-hr old brine shrimp nauplii in excess two times daily (once daily on weekends).
- Feeding during test: not fed 24 hr before or during a test

Test type:

flow-through

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

96 h

Hardness:

52.8 mg/L CaCO3

Test temperature:

21.3°C

pH:

7.2

Dissolved oxygen:

8.1 mg/L

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Nominal: 3.12, 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/L
Mean measured: 0.27, 0.73, 1.97, 6.38 and 13.6 mg/L

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel:
- Type (delete if not applicable): open
- No. of organisms per vessel: 10
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 2
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 2
- Biomass loading rate: < 0.5 g/l/day

TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- Source/preparation of dilution water: Diluted stocks were prepared in 18.9 L stainless steel carbonation vessels or 19 L glass bottles. Lake Superior water plus the liquid or solid toxicant were added to the vessels and stirred or blended vigorously

TEST CONCENTRATIONS
- Spacing factor for test concentrations: 2

EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED (with observation intervals if applicable) :
Loss of equilibrium, general activity, locomotor activity, schooling behaviour, location in tank, startle response, body movements, body pigmentation, body of life fish

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Key result

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

4.02 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality (fish)

Remarks on result:

other: Conf. lim: 3.24 to 4.99

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

3.32 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Remarks on result:

other: Conf. lim: 2.75 to 4.01

Details on results:

- Behavioural abnormalities: Affected fish lost equilibrium prior to death

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Executive summary:

Styrole was testet for possible toxicological effects in an acute test on the Fish Pimephales promelas. The LC50 after 96 h was found to be 4.02 mg/L. 

Description of key information

Acutely toxic for fish

Styrole was testet for possible toxicological effects in an acute test on the Fish Pimephales promelas. The LC50 after 96 h was found to be 4.02 mg/L. 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect concentration:

4.02 mg/L

Additional information

Although results on acute toxicity tests on various species of fish are available, the validity of many of these test is questionable because they were conducted in static system and without measurement of the effective substance concentration. Lack of information on potential loss of styrene due to volatilization over the course of exposure makes the interpretation of these results difficult. The flow-through studies with concentration monitoring are considered to be the most reliable results (Springborn 1995, Geiger et al. 1990). The lower of these gives an 96 -hours LC50 for fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) of 4.02 mg/l. The study of Qureshi et al. (1982, Onchorynchus mykiss, 24 -hr LC50: 2.5 mg/l) is used as supporting the chosen value.