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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Ecotoxicological information

Endpoint summary

Administrative data

Description of key information

Short-term toxicity to fish

The acute toxicity to fish of phosphoryl trichloride was reported using read across to phosphate and chloride ions.

The 96h-LC50 of chloride ions with different counterions (KCl, NaCl, MgCl2, CaCl2 ) was determined to be 880-6390 mg/L. In comparison to the 96h-LC50 value of NaCl (6390 mg/L) the 96h-LC50 value of KCl (880 mg/L) was more than sevenfold lower. This shows that, besides chloride ions, potassium has additional effects on vitality of fish. Mount et al. (1997) reported, that relative ion toxicity was K+>Mg2+>Cl-. The toxicity of Na+ and Ca2+ salts could be adequately explained on the basis of the anion concentration alone. That means that NaCl and CaCl2 have approximately the same toxicity when expressed on the basis of Cl-. Therefore, NaCl and CaCl2 are much more appropriate than KCl or MgCl2 to analyze effects of chloride ions on fish.

Additionally, the 96h-LC50 for hydrochloric acid was reported to be >0.3 mmol/L (supporting study: Ellgaard and Gilmore, 1984). No acute mortality due to chloride concentration or pH effects from hydrochloric acid exposure was seen at hydrochloric acid concentrations <0.3 mmol/L. However, no pH adjustment was performed in this study and therefore the reported effects on fish are mainly based on pH effects and not on substance specific effects.

Effects of phosphate on fish were reported using phosphoric acid as test substance. After exposure of 96 h no effects were determined up to pH 3.5 (Ellgaard and Gilmore, 1984). This corresponds to a phosphate concentration of about 30 mg/L. However, the reported effects on fish are based on pH effects and not on substance specific effects.

 

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

The 48 h geometric mean EC50 of phosphoryl trichloride exposed to Daphnia magna in buffered medium was determined to be >100 mg/L, while EC50 in non-buffered test medium was determined as 35.4 mg/L.

 

Toxicity to aquatic plants and cyanobacteria

The 72h-ErC50 of phosphoryl trichloride exposed to Desmodesmus subspicatus in buffered medium was determined to be >100 mg/L with buffered test medium and 32.13 mg/L with non-buffered medium.

 

Toxicity to microorganisms

The acute toxicity to microorganisms of phosphoryl trichloride was reported using read across to phosphate and chloride ions.

The 3h-EC50 of potassium chloride in activated sludge respiration inhibition testing was determined to be >1000 mg/L. Studies on phosphate concerning toxicity to microorganisms are not available. But activated sludge and synthetic sewage feed, used for microbial toxicity tests, already contain phosphate. Therefore, microbial toxicity is unlikely to occur to phosphate concentrations up to 50 mg/L.

Additional information