Sulfuric acid, mono-C12-14-alkyl esters, potassium salts

Short-term toxicity to fish

Description of key information

96h LC50 (Oncorhynchus mykiss) = 3.6 mg/L (nominal concentration, OECD 203)
96h LC50 (Cyprinodon variegates) = 4.1 mg/L (measured concentration, marine water, ASTM E-35 1980)

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Effect concentration:

3.6 mg/L

Marine water fish

Marine water fish

Effect concentration:

4.1 mg/L

Additional information

Since no reliable chronic fish test is available for C12-14AS K (CAS 1268005-68-0), in accordance to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 Annex XI, 1.5, a read-across to another structurally related category members was conducted. Read-across data from the following substances were used: two C12-14 mixtures: C12-14AS TEA (CAS 90583-18-9) and C12-14AS Na (CAS 85586-07-8) and two pure homologues: C12AS Na (CAS 151-21-3) and C14AS Na (CAS 1191-50-0). Toxicity of alkyl sulfates is dependent of the carbon chain length and the influence of the counter ion can be neglected.

Two short-term fish toxicity studies are available for C12-14AS TEA (CAS 90583-18-9). The key, GLP-compliant test was performed in semi-static conditions with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) according to OECD 203 (Wetton 1996). Mortality of fish caused by the test substance was determined after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of exposure to the concentrations up to 18 mg/L of 40% pure technical product (in water) corresponding to 7.2 mg a.i./L. No analytical measurements of test concentrations are available. The results showed that the 96-hour LC50 value was 3.6 mg a.i./L (nominal concentration). Composition of carbon chains of the tested category member C12-14AS TEA (CAS 90583-18-9) is the same as of C12-14AS K (CAS 1268005-68-0): both contain on average 58.1% of C12 and 32.6% of C14 chains. Due to structural and property similarity with the tested category member, this value is considered as a reliable LC50 value for C12-14AS K (CAS 1268005-68-0).

The other non-GLP study available for C12-14AS TEA (CAS 90583-18-9) was performed with golden orfe (Leuciscus idus) in static conditions according to DIN 38412 - L15 method (Richterich 2001). Mortality of fish was determined after 24 and 48 hours of exposure to the concentration up to 150 mg/L solution of 42% test substance in water, equivalent to 63 mg a.i./L. Analytical check of test concentrations is not available. The 48-hour LC50 was determined to be 9.2 mg a.i./L (nominal concentration).

Two GLP studies (Wetton, KAO, 1996; Wetton, Elementis, 1996) were conducted with C12-14AS Na (CAS 85586-07-8) according to OECD 203 under semi-static conditions on rainbow trouts (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In the first study the fish were exposed to the test concentrations up to 10 mg/L (nominal) for 96 hours. Analytical monitoring was not performed. The reported LC50-value was 3.6 mg/L (nominal concentration). In the other test the nominal concentrations reached 18 mg/L of 30% pure product (in water). The reported 96-hour LC50 was 11 mg/L equal to 3.3 mg a.i./L.

Toxic effects of CAS 151-21-3 to fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were studied in a non-GLP test performed according to OECD 203 guideline (Rawlings 2004). Fish were exposed in a flow-through system to five test concentrations up to 48 mg/L of nominal concentration, corresponding to 40 mg/L of measured concentration. Mortality of fish was evaluated every 24 hours. The test substance was determined to have the 96-hour LC50 value of 29 mg/L (measured concentration). Moreover, the short term effects of CAS 151-21-3 were studied on the marine sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus (Roberts et al. 1982). This non-GLP test was performed according to ASTM E-35 (1980) method. Fish were exposed to five test concentrations in brackish water (salinity 10 ‰) under static conditions. The 96h LC50 value of 4.1 mg/L was determined (measured concentration).

One non-GLP short-term test with golden orfes (Leuciscus idus) preformed according to DIN 38412 - L15 guideline is available for C14AS Na (CAS 1191-50-0; Richterich 2001). Fish were exposed in a static test for 48 hours to the nominal concentrations up to 8 mg/L of 25.7% pure test substance (in water). Analytical measurements are not available. Mortality of fish was evaluated after 6, 24 and 48 hours of exposure. The 48-hour LC50 value was determined to be 3.2 mg a.i./L (nominal concentration).