Phthalic anhydride

Short-term toxicity to fish

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

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:

guideline study with acceptable restrictions

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

other: According to OECD 210 “Fish, Early Life Stage Toxicity”

GLP compliance:

no

Analytical monitoring:

no

Vehicle:

yes

Details on test solutions:

In several instances acetone or dimethyl sulfoxide was used as a solvent for the compounds. The concentrations of these carriers were kept below 100 µl/l.

Test organisms (species):

Danio rerio (previous name: Brachydanio rerio)

Details on test organisms:

- Fertilized eggs in the blastula stage (2 - 4 h after spawning);
disinfected for 1 min in a 0.04 % formalin solution

Test type:

semi-static

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

7 d

Nominal and measured concentrations:

5 to 7 concentrations tested plus one control
The range between the concentrations was 3.2.

Duration:

7 d

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

560 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality (fish)

Remarks on result:

other: 99%CL: 320-1000

Sublethal observations / clinical signs:

no information is given on using a buffered medium, but pH value of the test medium indicates a pH adjustment RS-Freetext:
LOEC (mortality): 1000 mg/l
LOEC (total embryotoxicity): 1000 mg/l
EC50 (total embryotoxicity): 561 mg/l

Executive summary:

Prolonged toxicity of phthalic anhydride to fish (Danio rerio) has been tested under semistatic conditions in accordance to OECD Guideline Draft "Early Life Stage. A 7 d-LC50 of 560 mg/l was measured (Van Leeuwen, 1990).

Description of key information

The embryolarval stages of Brachydanio rerio (new name: Danio rerio) were exposed to phthalic anhydride for 7 days in buffered medium under semistatic conditions. The test was conducted in accordance to OECD Guideline Draft "Early Life Stage” 210 yielding a LC50 of 560 mg/l. (Van Leeuwen, 1990).

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect concentration:

560 mg/L

Additional information

There are several reliable tests on toxicity to fish towards different species available using phthalic anhydride as well as the hydrolysis product phthalic acid as test substance. The test conducted according to the Draft Guideline OECD 210 “Fish, Early Life Stage” (Van Leeuwen, 1990) with Brachydanio rerio (new name: Danio rerio) is regarded as an acute toxicity test to fish and preferred for hazard assessment; due to the following reasons: The study cannot be used concerning long-term adverse effects, as the exposure duration of 7 days is too short to obtain long-lasting effects. With respect to acute toxicity, the developmental stages in the life cycles of fish have been shown to be relatively sensitive to the effects of chemicals rather than to adults leading to more meaningful results. It is not the lowest value found in acute toxicity tests, but the other two toxicity tests yielding an effect concentration greater than a defined concentration, probably the highest concentration tested and is in good agreement with the results found in these tests.