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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Additional information

General considerations

Ecotoxicological investigations concerning fish, aquatic invertebrates and algae were performed with structural analogues of the calcium sulfonate target substance (C10-C14). For the substance itself, no experimental data are available concerning toxicity towards aquatic organisms. For the detailed procedure of the read-across principle and justifications, please refer to the separate Read-Across Statement by Chemservice S.A. (2013).

Based on the intrinsic properties of the used substances, Water Accommodated Fractions (WAFs) were prepared for testing. This procedure is in accordance with the OECD Guidance document on aquatic toxicity testing of difficult substances and mixtures (Series on testing and assessment - Number 23; OECD, 2000). The term WAF is applied to aqueous media containing only the fraction of multi-component substances that is dissolved and / or present as a stable dispersion or emulsion. These fractions are prepared individually and not by serial dilution of a single stock WAF. As the term indicates, only a fraction of the total mass of multi-component substances responsible for the composition may be present in the WAF. The "loading rate" is the mass to volume ratio of the mixture to medium used in the preparation. The obtained LL50/ EL50 values are comparable to LC50/ EC50 values, as well as the NOELR (No Observable Effect Loading Rate) to NOEL (No Observable Effect Concentration).

Toxicity to fish

The calcium sulfonate read-across substance (CAS 115733-09-0) was used in an experiment according to OECD 203 with Oncorhynchus mykiss as test organism (Goodband 2005; key study). The NOELR (96h) is reported as 100 mg/L WAF and the LL50(96h) is > 100 mg/L WAF. Cyprinodon variegatus served as saltwater fish species in experiments in order to determine the toxicity potential of the calcium sulfonate read-across substances CAS 70024-71-4 and CAS 61789-86-4 (Nicholson, 1986). Both tests are assigned as key studies. In both limit tests, the LL50(96h) is > 10000 mg/L WAF with a corresponding NOELR of 10000 mg/L WAF. The toxicity data available for several acute fish studies (quantified as Water Accommodated Fractions (WAFs)) demonstrate that the substance is not toxic to fish even at the highest test substance concentrations tested. The weight-of-evidence indicate that the lower NOECs for O. mykiss are not an indicator of toxicity per se, but are the result of dose selection. Long-term investigations are not triggered based on the observations in acute tests.

Toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

The calcium sulfonate read-across substance (CAS 115733-09-0) was used in an experiment conducted in accordance to US EPA Guideline OTS 797.1300 with Daphnia magna (Ward, 1993). This key study was performed with nominal concentrations of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/L as WAF loading rates under static conditions.

As result, an EL50(48h) > 1000 mg/L WAF is reported. The revealed results demonstrate that the substance is not toxic to daphnids even at the highest test substance concentrations tested. Long-term investigations are not triggered based upon the chemical safety assessment for freshwater invertebrates. In a further key study with Sulphonic acids, petroleum, calcium salts (CAS 61789-86-4), Daphnia magna were exposed also under static conditions for 48 hours following OECD Guideline 202 (Goodband, 2005). Beside control, Daphnids were exposed to a single nominal test substance concentration of 100 mg/L WAF for 48 hours. No immobilisation was observed in any daphnids at 100 mg/L nominal WAF loading rate. The EL50(48h) is considered as > 100 mg/L.

Toxicity to aquatic algae

In a key study the calcium sulfonate read-across substance (CAS 115733-09-0) was tested at nominal concentrations of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/L as WAF loading rates under static conditions (study according to EPA OTS 797.1050 by Ward, 1994). Selenastrum capricornutum (new name:Pseudokirchnerella subcapitata) served as algae species. After 72 hours, biomass measurements were 80 %, 62 % and 70 % of the control at 100, 300 and 1000 mg/L WAF, respectively. At 96-hours, biomass measurements were 70 %, 66 % and 88 % of the control at 100, 300 and 1000 mg/L WAF, respectively. Based on these findings, the ErL50(72h), ErL50(96h), EbL50(72h) as well as the EbL50(96h) value are > 1000 mg/L. The NOEL amounts to 1000 mg/L WAF for each sampling period.

In a 72 hour toxicity study, also assigned as key study, the cultures of the green algae (Scenedesmus subspicatus) were exposed to sulphonic acids, petroleum, calcium salts at nominal concentrations of 0 and 100 mg/L nominal WAF loading rate under static conditions. The test was performed by Mead (2005) in accordance with the guideline OECD Guideline 201 (Alga, Growth Inhibition Test). The EL50 based biomass was >100 mg/L and the EL50 based on growth rate was >100 mg/L. There were no compound related phytotoxic effects.

Toxicity to aquatic microorganisms

The calcium sulfonate read-across substance CAS 61789-86-4 was used in an experiment according to OECD 209 by Goodrich (1994). The study design comprised five nominal exposure concentrations: 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10000 mg/L, a duplicate control group; and an assessment of the sensitivity of the inoculum used in the test to a reference toxicant (3,5 - dichlorophenol).

No toxicity was observed, hence EC50 amounts to > 10000 mg/L. The corresponding NOAEC is 10000 mg/L.

Toxicity towards other aquatic organisms

No further investigations are triggered under REACH.