Aluminium nitride

Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Reference 1

Endpoint:

long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

read-across from supporting substance (structural analogue or surrogate)

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Justification for type of information:

For details and justification of read-across please refer to the read-across report attached to IUCLID section 13.

Reason / purpose for cross-reference:

read-across source

Duration:

3 wk

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

>= 1 400 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

element

Basis for effect:

mortality

Duration:

3 wk

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

>= 620 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

element

Basis for effect:

reproduction

Duration:

3 wk

Dose descriptor:

LOEC

Effect conc.:

>= 620 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

element

Basis for effect:

other: body weight, total protein, GOT activity

Duration:

3 wk

Dose descriptor:

other: EC16

Effect conc.:

>= 320 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (initial)

Conc. based on:

element

Basis for effect:

reproduction

Remarks on result:

other: The 16 % reproductive-impairment concentration is given since it represented a minimal reproducible value below which the variability in reproduction could not be detected from controls. Therefore considered to be equivalent to EC10.

Details on results:

No data

Reported statistics and error estimates:

Evaluation of concentration-response curve by the method of Litchfield and Wilcoxon (1949).
For reproductive both the 50 and 16 % reproduction-impairment concentrations are given. The 16 % reproductive-impairment concentration is given since it represented a minimal reproducible value below which the variability in reproduction could not be detected from controls.

The test revelaed that at concentrations >= 620 µg/L the weight per animal was reduced by 38 %, protein content was increased by 3 %, and GOT activity was reduced by 13 % compared to the control group.

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not applicable

Remarks:

non-guideline study, but scientifically solid result published in peer-reviewed article

Conclusions:

Long-term (3 weeks) toxicity (LC50) of aluminium ions to Daphnia magna was determined to be ca. 1.4 mg/L, and EC16 (reproductive impairment, considered to be equivalent to the EC10) was determined to be ca. 320 µg/L.

Executive summary:

The 21-day-chronic toxicity of aluminium to Daphnia magna was studied under static conditions. Daphnids were exposed to control and test chemical at nominal concentrations not reported in detail. The 21-day LC50based on mortality effect was 1400 µg/L. The 21-day EC10 based on sublethal effects was 320 µg/L. The sublethal effects included were impairment of reproduction, weight decrease, effect on protein content, effect on glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT). Production of offspring in the treated groups indicated that aluminium had an effect on the reproduction at concentrations greater than 320 µg/L. The most sensitive end point was reproduction.

This study is classified as acceptable and satisfies the guideline requirements for a chronic toxicity study with freshwater invertebrates.

 

Results synopsis

Test organism age: 12 ± 12 h at test initiation

Test type: Static

EC10: 320 µg/L (in fact EC16, which provided the lowest reproducible value distinguishable from the controls, thus equivalent to EC10)

Endpoint effected: Reproduction

This information is used in a read-across approach in the assessment of the target substance. For details and justification of read-across please refer to the read-across report attached to IUCLID section 13.

Reference 2

Endpoint:

long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

read-across from supporting substance (structural analogue or surrogate)

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Justification for type of information:

For details and justification of read-across please refer to the read-across report attached to IUCLID section 13.

Reason / purpose for cross-reference:

read-across source

Duration:

21 d

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

ca. 19.6 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

other: total NH3-N

Basis for effect:

growth

Remarks:

(mean body length)

Remarks on result:

other: Not statistically significantly different from the control (Student-Newman-Keuls test; p=0.05)

Duration:

21 d

Dose descriptor:

LOEC

Effect conc.:

ca. 33.07 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

other: total NH3-N

Basis for effect:

reproduction

Remarks on result:

other: Significant difference to control (Student-Newman-Keuls test; p=0.05)

Details on results:

- Mortality of parent animals: 14, 9, 14, 0, 27, and 27 % (control, 3.99, 6.85, 11.75, 19.66, and 33.07 mg/L, respectively)
- No. of offspring produced per female: 24.6, 21.7, 22.7, 29.0, 20.8, and 6.4 (ordered as above)
- Body lengthof parent animals: 3.52, 3.57, 3.61, 3.73, 3.49, and 30.2 mm (ordered as above)
- Type and number of morphological abnormalities: No data
- Type and number of behavioural abnormalities: No data
- Number of males and females (parental): No data
- Time to first brood release or time to hatch: 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, and 9 (ordered as above)
- Egg development time: No data
- Brood size: No data
- Time to sexual maturity: Not applicable (parthenogenesis)
- Type and magnitude of biochemical changes: No data
- Other biological observations: No data
- Effect concentrations exceeding solubility of substance in test medium: No

Reported statistics and error estimates:

Student-Newman-Keuls test for determination of LOEC and NOEC values.

Table 12: Survival of adults, growth, and reproduction of Daphnia magna in a 21-d chronic ammonia toxicity test. Total ammonia concentrations are given in mg/L.

Measured total ammonia	Adult survival (%)	Mean length of survival adults (mm)	Day when young first produced	Mean number of young/adult
Control	86	3.52	7	24.6
3.99	91	3.57	7	21.7
6.85	86	3.61	7	22.7
11.75	100	3.73	7	29.0
19.66	73	3.49	7	20.8
33.07	73	3.02	9	6.4

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not applicable

Remarks:

non-guideline study, but scientifically solid result published in peer-reviewed article

Conclusions:

A 21-d chronic renewal test was conducted with Daphnia magna. The lowest concentration of un-ionized ammonia found to cause an adverse effect on the daphnids was 1.3 mg/L.

Executive summary:

The 21-day-chronic toxicity of ammonia to Daphnia magna was studied under static renewal conditions.Daphnidswere exposed to control and test chemical at measured} concentrations of 3.99, 6.85, 11.75, 19.66, and 33.07 mg/L. The 21 day LC₅₀based on mortality was not determinable (above the highest test concentration). The 21-day NOEC based on sublethal effects (reproduction) was 19.66 mg/L. The sublethal effects included were reproduction (number of offspring), time to first offspring production, and adult body length. Production of offspring in the treated groups indicated that ammonia had an effect on the reproduction at concentrations greater than 19.66 mg/L. The most sensitive end point was reproduction.

This study is classified as acceptable and satisfies the guideline requirements for a chronic toxicity study with freshwater invertebrates.

Results synopsis

Test organism age: < 24 h at test initiation

Test type: Static renewal

NOEL: 19.66 mg/L (total ammonia nitrogen)

LOEC: 33.07 mg/L (total ammonia nitrogen)

Endpoint(s) effected: Reproduction, adult body length

The study was performed in accordance to the "Recommended bioassay procedure for Daphnia magna chronic tests in a flowing system" (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1972b) and the proposed standard practices for conducting D. magna renewal toxicity tests (Daphnia Task Group, ASTM Committee E-35). The study pre-dates issuance of test guidelines.

This information is used in a read-across approach in the assessment of the target substance. For details and justification of read-across please refer to the read-across report attached to IUCLID section 13.

Description of key information

The toxicity of aluminium nitride to aquatic invertebrates is determined by the released aluminium ions. The EC10 of 320 µg Al/L is forwarded to the hazard assessment as the relevant endpoint.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Dose descriptor:

EC10

Effect concentration:

320 µg/L

Additional information

Toxicity of aluminium nitride to aquatic invertebrates can be elicited by aluminium ions and/or ammonia (NH3) released from the material during hydrolysis. Studies investigating the toxicities of the respective degradation products to invertebrates were retrieved from the public domain. The 21-day EC16 (minimal reproducible value, thus equivalent to EC10) of aluminium ions in Daphnia magna was determined to be 320 µg/L (Biesinger and Christensen, 1972). The 21-day NOEC of ammonia in Daphnia magna was determined to be 19.66 mg/L as total NH3-N (Reinbold and Pescitelli, 1982). Considering the amounts of degradation products released during hydrolysis (ca. 1 mg Al/L, ca. 2 mg NH3/L at maximum in a transformation/dissolution test) it is concluded that the effects aluminium nitride to aquatic invertebrates are dominated by the metal ions. Accordingly, the EC10 of 320 µg Al/L is forwarded to the hazard assessment as the relevant endpoint.