Valeraldehyde

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

Study period:

Test started on 17 Oct 1983.

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Comparable to guideline study with acceptable restrictions (e.g. non-GLP, no detailed information given on measurement of test parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen)

Qualifier:

equivalent or similar to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 203 (Fish, Acute Toxicity Test)

Deviations:

yes

Remarks:

pH and dissolved oxygen measured less frequently than required by guideline

GLP compliance:

not specified

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Details on sampling:

- Concentrations: all chambers at time 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h
- Sampling method: sampled at mid-depth of exposure chamber
- Sample storage conditions before analysis: samples analysed immediately or adequately preserved for later analysis

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF TEST SOLUTION (especially for difficult test substances)
- Method: stock toxicant = 200 mg/L (blended)
- Evidence of undissolved material (e.g. precipitate, surface film, etc): flocculant material was adhering to the tanks

Test organisms (species):

Pimephales promelas

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: fathead minnow
- Strain: brood stock provided by the US EPA Environmental Research Laboratory-Duluth
- Source: laboratory culture
- Age at study initiation (mean and range, SD): 31 d
- Length at end of exposure (length definition, mean, range and SD): 19.8±1.7 mm
- Weight at end of exposure (mean and range, SD): 119±29.8 mg
- Feeding during test: none


ACCLIMATION
- Acclimation period: none, fish were kept at conditions similar to test
- Type and amount of food: freshly hatched brine shrimp nauplii to excess
- Feeding frequency: 3 times/d; 2 times/d on weekends
- Health during acclimation (any mortality observed): only groups of fish having healthy appearance and no history of unusual thermal history or abnormally high mortality rate were used

Test type:

flow-through

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

96 h

Hardness:

37.8±0.71 mg/L as CaCO3

Test temperature:

24.5±0.31 °C

pH:

7.52±0.07

Dissolved oxygen:

6.1± mg/L

Nominal and measured concentrations:

nominal: 0 (control), 10, 15.4, 23.7, 36.4, and 56.0 mg/L
measured (corrected average): < 1.0, 5.76, 9.52, 11.9, 22.6, 35.5 mg/L
recovery: 98.0±3.3%

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel:
- Type (delete if not applicable): open
- Material, size, headspace, fill volume: glass tanks, 1.0 L
- Aeration: no information
- Type of flow-through (e.g. peristaltic or proportional diluter): proportional diluter
- Renewal rate of test solution (frequency/flow rate): 14.4 v/d
- No. of organisms per vessel: 20
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 1
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 1
- No. of vessels per vehicle control (replicates): not applicable
- Biomass loading rate: 2.38 g/L


TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- Source/preparation of dilution water: natural water from Lake Superior (data from 1972) or (for few tests) dechlorinated water from City of Superior (WI)
- Total organic carbon: no data
- Particulate matter: < 1 mg/L / no data
- Metals (µg/L):
- Al: 1-26 / 0.60-1.9
- Cd: < 0.1 / < 0.1
- Cr: 2-20 / < 0.1
- Co: < 0.5 / < 0.5
- Cu: 0.3-3.2/ 2.0-6.0
- Fe: 2-83 / 160-194
- Pb: 7-20 / < 0.1
- Mn: 0.2-11.5 / 6.6-7.8
- Ni: < 0.5 / < 1.0-1.3
- Zn: 1.0-2.7 / 2.2-3.0
- Pesticides: no data
- Chloride: 1.2-1.3 mg/L / 3.6-4.1 mg/L
- Alkalinity: 44.1 mg/L as CaCO3
- Ca/Mg ratio: ca. 6.5:1
- Conductivity: 78-86 µmhos/cm / 91-138 µmhos/cm
- Culture medium different from test medium:
- Intervals of water quality measurement:


OTHER TEST CONDITIONS
- Adjustment of pH: no
- Photoperiod: 16 h daily photoperiod
- Light intensity: no data


EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED (with observation intervals if applicable) :
- visible abnormalities and mortality: after 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h
- pH: at least once in control, low medium and high test concentration
- dissolved oxygen: after 0, 24, and 96 h in control, low medium and high test concentration
- temperature: daily
- analytical quantification of test concentrations: all chambers after 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h
TEST CONCENTRATIONS
- Spacing factor for test concentrations: ca. 1.5
- Justification for using less concentrations than requested by guideline: not applicable
- Range finding study
- Test concentrations: no data
- Results used to determine the conditions for the definitive study: no data

Reference substance (positive control):

not required

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

12.4 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

act. ingr.

Basis for effect:

mortality (fish)

Remarks on result:

other: 95 % CL: 11.3 to 13.6 mg/L

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

12.4 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

act. ingr.

Basis for effect:

behaviour

Remarks on result:

other: 95 % CL: 11.3 to 13.6 mg/L

Details on results:

- Behavioural abnormalities: Affected fish lost schooling behavior, were underreactive to external stimuli, and lost equilibrium prior to death.
- Observations on body length and weight: determined only after exposure
- Other biological observations: none
- Mortality of control: 0 %
- Other adverse effects control: no
- Abnormal responses: no
- Any observations (e.g. precipitation) that might cause a difference between measured and nominal values: no
- Effect concentrations exceeding solubility of substance in test medium: no

Reported statistics and error estimates:

Estimation of the LC50 and EC50 was made using the trimmed Spearman-Kärber method (Hamilton et al., 1977).

Sublethal observations / clinical signs:

Mortalities

Test item conc.	Cumulative mortality (n) after exposure of
(nominal; mg/L)	0 h	24 h	48 h	72 h	96 h
0	0	0	0	0	0
10.0	0	0	0	0	0
15.4	0	0	0	0	0
23.7	0	0	11	13	13
36.4	0	1	20	20	20
56.0	0	9	20	20	20

 

Effect

Test item conc.	Effected fish (n) after exposure of
(nominal; mg/L)	0 h	24 h	48 h	72 h	96 h
0	0	0	0	0	0
10.0	0	0	0	0	0
15.4	0	0	0	0	0
23.7	0	0	11	13	13
36.4	0	1	20	20	20
56.0	0	9	20	20	20

 

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Remarks:

Based on current guidelines like OECD TG 203

Conclusions:

Based on mean measured concentrations, the LC50 (96 h) for fish (Pimephales promelas) is 12.4 mg/L.

Executive summary:

Valeraldehyde was tested on fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in a 96-h flow-through acute study. No specific guideline was reported, but documentation is sufficient to assign validity and good reliability. The test design is similar to OECD 203. Five test concentration and 1 control were set up. One test chamber with 20 fish was used per test concentrations. The test concentrations were analytically verified by GLC every day in each test chamber (recovery: 98.0±3.3%).

Concentrations were as follows:

nominal: 0 (control), 10, 15.4, 23.7, 36.4, and 56.0 mg/L

measured (corrected average): < 1.0, 5.76, 9.52, 11.9, 22.6, 35.5 mg/L

Mortalities and signs of abnormal behaviour were observedin the three highest concentrations. Based on mean measured concentrations, the 96-h LC50 was 12.4 mg/L.

Description of key information

Valeraldehyde was tested on fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in a 96-h flow-through acute study. Based on mean measured concentrations, the 96-h LC50 was 12.4 mg/L.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Effect concentration:

12.4 mg/L

Additional information

Valeraldehyde was tested on fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in a 96-h flow-through acute study. No specific guideline was reported, but documentation is sufficient to assign validity and good reliability. The test design is similar to OECD 203. Five test concentration and 1 control were set up. One test chamber with 20 fish was used per test concentrations. The test concentrations were analytically verified by GLC every day in each test chamber (recovery: 98.0±3.3%).

Concentrations were as follows:

nominal: 0 (control), 10, 15.4, 23.7, 36.4, and 56.0 mg/L

measured (corrected average): < 1.0, 5.76, 9.52, 11.9, 22.6, 35.5 mg/L

Mortalities and signs of abnormal behaviour were observedin the three highest concentrations. Based on mean measured concentrations, the 96-h LC50 was 12.4 mg/L.