Glutaral

Toxicity to birds

Additional information

The acute toxicity of glutaraldehyde 50% to mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) was examined according to the Federal Register Vol. 43, No. 132 (Product Safety Labs T-2375). Ducks were administered a single oral dose by gavage; the test material was administered as 50% dilution. The treatment was followed by an 14-day observation period in which mortality, behavioural changes, clinical signs of toxicity, body weight, fed consumption were recorded. At study term the animals were subjected to necropsy. The LD50 was calculated by the Lichtfield-Wilcoxin method of Probit Analysis.

The treatment with the test substance resulted in mortality, reduced feed consumption and body weight reduction. Mortality of the Mallard ducks following single gavage with glutaraldehyde occurred from 0.4 ml/kg bw. At 2.1 ml/kg bw, mortality was 100%. The resulting LD50 was 0.73 ml/kg bw (95% CL 0.54 – 0.99), referring to the 50% solution of the test material. Taking the dilution factor and the known density of 1.13 g/ml of the test substance glutaraldehyde 50% into account. The LD50 referring to the test material as such was calculated to be 412 mg/kg bw (= 206 mg a.i./kg bw).

In a short-term toxicity study, mallard ducks received basal diet supplemented with glutaraldehyde 50% during a test period of 5 days (Product Safety Labs T-2300). The dietary levels of the test substance were as follows: 0, 450, 675, 1013, 1519, 3417 and 5125 ppm. No mortality was observed and the ducks were active and healthy in all groups; feed consumption and body weight gain were inconspicuous. An LC50 > 5000 ppm was reported.

In conclusion, the determined LD50 value of 206 mg a.i./kg bw indicates that glutaraldehyde is moderately toxic to birds. However, the substance is not bioaccumulative; thus, secondary poisoning is not a relevant exposure route for birds.