Diiron tris(sulphate)

Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

No relevant effects

Additional information

This endpoint is covered by the category approach for soluble iron salts (please see the section on physical and chemical properties for the category justification/report format). 

Testing for this endpoint has been waived in accordance with column 2 and Annex XI, part 1 and 2, restrictions.

Information from Literature Searches and earlier Assessment Approaches

The literature reviews of Vangheluwe & Versonnen (2004), Johnson et al. (2007) and OECD (2007) revealed some data. The results of the studies, selected as “reliable” by the respective authors are listed in the following tables. Nonetheless the experiments must be rated “not reliable” (Klimisch 3) according to the Klimisch et al. (1997) scale due to methodological objections against testing of aquatic organisms as concluded in the beginning of this chapter (section „Ecotoxicological information“). True, intrinsic toxicity of iron kations in aerobic aquatic test organisms cannot be determined in studies when the solubility of the dissolved ferric kation (as the ferrous form will readily be oxidized to ferric species) is exceeded. None of the experiments found effects at such low levels (depend on pH, section “water solubility”). Notwithstanding the methodological objections formally expressed in the waiving argument for the standard aquatic test organisms, the following data are mentioned for completeness.

Freshwater species:

Table: Data from the EURAS critical review (Vangheluwe & Versonnen 2004, table 3, p 12-13 & table 4, p 18 & table 5, p 21)

STANDARD SPECIES: Crustaceans (daphnids)
Test substance	Test organism	Test medium	Test conditions	Nominal / Measured	Duration	Endpoints	NOEC [mg/L]	LOEC [mg/L]	L(E)C50 [mg/L]	Reference	Reliability
FeCl3.6H2O	Daphnia pulex	Reconstituted ASTM water	pH: 7.6; T: 20; H: 94; Alk: 48	To, TD, T2	21 days	Immobility	2.51	5.01		Birge et al. 1985	R1
						Total offspring	0.63	1.26
						Brood size	0.63	1.26
						Aborted eggs	1.26	2.51
						Length	1.26	2.51
FeCl3.6H2O	Daphnia magna	Lake Superior water	pH: 7.7; T: 18 (room T); static renewal	To	3 weeks	Immobility, reproduction			EC50 immobility: 5.9	Biesinger & Christensen 1972	R1
									EC50 reproduction: 5.2
									EC16 reproduction: 4.4
FeSO4.7H2O	Daphnia magna	River water	pH: 7.7-7.9;T: 15.7-22.6	To	2 weeks	Reproduction	0.52	0.62		van Anholt et al. 2002	R2
NON-STANDARD SPECIES: Insects
FeSO4	Acroneuria lycorias	Carbon filtered Lake Superior water	pH: 7.25-8.2; H: 44-50; Alk: 40-72; T: 18	To	2 weeks	Survival			LT50 of 9 days at:16	Warnick & Bell 1969	R2
	Ephemerella subvaria								LT50 of 96 h at: 0.32
	Hudropsyche betteni								LT50 of 7 days at: 16

Alk: alkalinity [mg/L CaCO3]

H: hardness [mg/L CaCO3]

N: Nominal concentration

R1: Reliable without restriction according to the scheme of the authors (set out in chapter 3.2, p 6, of their publication), corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above

LT50: 50 % survival time

R2: Reliable with restrictions according to the authors (set out in chapter 3.2, p 6, of their publication), corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above.

R3: Not reliable according to the authors (set out in chapter 3.2 of their publication)

T: temperature [°C]

T2: total Fe(II) ion measured

TD: dissolved total Fe measured

To: total Fe measured

Table: Additional data according to Johnson et al. (2007, table 2.7, p 22 -23)

Scientific name	Common name	Endpoint	Effect	Test duration [d]	Concentration [mg/L] #	Exposure	Toxicant analysis	Comments (Author's Reliability)	Reference
Daphnia carinata	Water flea	NOEC	Growth	10	0.53	ss	y	–	van Dam et al. 1999
		NOEC	Reproduction		0.54			–
Daphnia carinata	Water flea	NOEC	Mortality	10	1.5	ss	y	–	van Dam et al. 1998
Daphnia magna	Water flea	LOEC	Reproduction	21	4.4	ss	y	As FeCl3; pH 7.74	Biesinger & Christensen 1972
		LOEC			5.2
Daphnia magna	Water flea	NOEC	Reproduction	21	0.16	ss	y	As FeCl3; pH 7.0–8.0 (R2)	Dave 1984
Asellus aquaticus	Isopod adult	LC50	Mortality	9	256–383	s	y	As FeSO4; pH 4.5	Maltby et al. 1987
					431–467			As FeSO4; pH 6.5
Gammarus minus	Amphipod coupled adults	NOEC	Mortality	7	4.2	f	y	As FeSO4; pH 7.2	Sykora et al. 1972
Gammarus pulex	Amphipod	NOEC	Feeding rate	6	1.0	s	y	As FeSO4; pH 6.6–7.9 (R3)	Maltby & Crane 1994
		LOEC			2.0		n
Chematopscyche sp.	Caddisfly	NOEC	Emergence	4	4.0	s	n	As FeSO4; pH 7.25 (R3)	Warnick & Bell 1969
Leptophlebia marginata	Mayfly (larvae)	NOEC	Mortality	30	20	ss	y	As FeSO4; pH 4.5	Gerhardt 1992
		LOEC			50			As FeSO4; pH 4.5
		NOEC			50			As FeSO4; pH 7.0

# Concentration related to iron if not stated otherwise under comments (third-to-last column)

R1: Reliable without restrictions according to the authors (set out in Annex 1, p 56 of their publication), corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above.

R2: Reliable with restrictions according to the authors (set out in Annex 1, p 56 of their publication), corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above.

R3: Not reliable according to the authors (set out in Annex 1, p 56 of their publication)

d = dissolved.

Exposure: s = static; ss = semi-static; f = flow-through.

Toxicant analysis: y = measured; n = not measured.

Table: Additional data from the OECD (2007) assessment (table 24, p 67 -68

Test substance	Test organism	Test duration	Effect	Endpoint [mg Fe/L]	Reference	Author’s Reliability
STANDARD SPECIES
Fe2(SO4)3	Daphnia longispina	21 days	Reproduction at pH 7.0-8.0	EC50: 4.5 (n.t)	Randall et al. 1999	R2
FeSO4.7H2O	Daphnia magna	21 days	Reproduction at pH 7.0-8.5	10 (n.ts, NOEC),	MOE, Japan 2002	R1
				13 (n.ts, LOEC)
				2 (n.t, NOEC)
				2.6 (n.t, LOEC)
FeSO4.7H2O	Arrenurus manubriator, Water mite	15 days	Deutonymph mortality	200 (m.d, LOEC)	Rousch et al. 1997	R1
			Adult male mortality at pH 4.0	800 (m.d, NOEC)
FeSO4.7H2O	Chironomus riparius, Midge	15 days	Egg hatch	1000 (m.d, NOEC	Rousch et al. 1997	R1
			Larval mortality at pH 4.0	200 (m.d, LOEC)
NON- STANDARD SPECIES
FeSO4.7H2O	Brachionus calyciflorus, Rotifer	24 h	Survival	12 (n.t)	Calleja et al. 1994	R2

n.t. = nominal total Fe

m.d = measured dissolved Fe

Saltwater species:

No relevant data were reported by Vangheluwe & Versonnen (2004) and OECD (2007).

Table: Data according to Johnson et al. (2007, table 2.8, p 28)

Scientific name	Common name	Endpoint	Effect	Test duration [d]	Concentration [mg/L] #	Exposure	Toxicant analysis	Comments (Author's Reliability)	Reference
Temora longicornis	Copepod	NOEC	Reproduction	18	5	ps	n	Iron waste; pH 6.9 (R3)	Bryant et al. 1984
		LOEC		18	6	ps	n
Cancer anthonyi	Yellow crab eggs	NOEC	Hatching	7	1	static	not measured	As FeCl3; pH 7.8 (3)	Macdonald et al. 1988
		LOEC			100
		NOEC			100
		LOEC			1000

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• Birge WJ, Black JA, Westerman AG, Short TM, Taylor SB, Bruser DM, Wallingford ED (1985). Recommendations on numerical values for regulating iron and chloride concentrations for the purpose of protecting warmwater species of aquatic life in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Memorandum of Agreement No. 5429, Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet.
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• MOE, Japan(2002): Studies on ecotoxity of Sulfuric acid, iron (2+) salt (1:1), heptahydrate (CAS:7782-63-0) for aquatic organisms, fish, daphnids and algae. Unpublished data.
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