Dibutyl phthalate

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

Study was conducted in accordance with US EPA standard (and compliant with EU and OECD guidelines) on 3 species of invertebrates: Mysidposis bahia a marine species and two fresh water test species a Parantanytarsus parthogenetica and Daphnia magna. Tests were performed in static conditions. No solvent was used and care was taken to avoid remaining floating test chemical. EC50 (48 h) for Daphnia magna was 2.99 mg/L, EC50 (96 h) for Mysidposis bahia was 0.5 mg/L and LC50 (96 h) for Parantanytarsus parthogenetica was 6.29 mg/L. All reported effect concentrations are based on measured test concentration.
As the studies were performed according to standards and GLP procedure but no detailed information were given in the publication, therefore, the results are considered as reliable with acceptable restrictions.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

2.99 mg/L

Marine water invertebrates

Marine water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

0.5 mg/L

Additional information

Foster and Sanders, 1973 studied the toxicity for DBP in flow-through bioassay to fresh water organism. The 96-hr LC50 to scuds (Gammarus pseudolimnaeus) was 2.1 mg/l - the value is lower as reported in study withDaphnia magna, but in this publication are not published detailed information about material and methods, test organisms, statistical analysis etc., so the result with scud is used only as a supporting study.

In the European Union Risk Assessment Report for dibutyl phthalate, 2004 (EUR 19840 EN) are presented also other toxicity results for aquatic invertebrates (see table below). The lowest observed 50% effect concentration for freshwater species was established by Streufert et al., 1980. The 48 h EC50 forChironomus plumosuswas 0.76 mg/L

Method	Results  (95% C.I.) (mg/L)	Remarks	Reference
EE92/69	3.4(48 h EC50)	–    Daphnia magna	Hüls (1994b)
Other	5.2(4.7-5.6) - (48 h EC50)	–    Daphnia magna	McCarthy and Whitmore (1985)
Other	17(24 h EC50)	–    Daphnia magna	Kühn et al. (1989)
EG&G Bionomics (1982)	3.4(3.1-3.8) - (48 h EC50)	–    Daphnia magna	CMA (1984)
Other	0.76(48 h EC50)	–    Chironomus plumosus	Streufert et al. (1980)
Other	0.8(0.6-0.9) - (96 h LC(I)50)	–    Mysidopsis bahia	EG&G Bionomics (1984a)
Other	1.7(1.3-2.2) - (96 h LC(I)50	–    Nitocra spinipes –    brackish water	Lindén et al. (1979)
APHA (1971)	2.1(96 h LC50)	–    Gammarus pseudolimnaeus	Mayer and Sanders (1973)
Other	5.8(96 h EC50)	–    Paratanytarsus parthenogenetica	EG&G Bionomics (1984b)
Other	8(24 h LC50)	–    Artemia salina –    seawater	Hudson et al. (1981)