Polyethylene polyamine, pentaethylenehexamine fraction

Short-term toxicity to fish

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to fish

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

02-03-1989 to 28-04-1989

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study with acceptable restrictions

Remarks:

Study is complete, was performed under GLP and valid. However no analysis was performed so the actual bio-available fraction is unknown, although the substance is completely soluble at the test concentration. Therefore the use of the data from this study is limited when performing a risk assessment

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

EU Method C.1 (Acute Toxicity for Fish)

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

other: S.A.L.M. Kooyman: "Parametric Analysis of mortality rates in bio-assays". Water Research 15(1981)107-119.

GLP compliance:

yes

Analytical monitoring:

no

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

A stock solution of 25 g/l was prepared by dissolving the test
substance in demineralized water containing concentrated HCl.
The presence of the test substance in the test medium caused a
change of the pH, which was outside the range that can be supported
by the test animal. Therefore, the pH was neutralized
both in the stock solution and in the dilution water to a
value between 7.0 and 7.3. The chosen test concentrations were.
prepared by dilution of the stock solution.

Test organisms (species):

Poecilia reticulata

Details on test organisms:

The test organism was Poecilia reticulata (guppy); they were
obtained from the lOB (Instituut Onderzoek Bestrijdingsmiddelen), Wageningen, The Netherlands, and maintained in the
Akzo Research Laboratories Arnhem, dept. CRL according to
Standard Operating Procedures SOP CRL T9 & 42. The size was
approximately 2 cm.

Test type:

semi-static

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

96 h

Hardness:

68.4 mg Ca/l, 35.7 mg Mg/l, 17.7°dH

Test temperature:

21.7-23 C

pH:

7.0-7.7

Dissolved oxygen:

7.1-7.7 mg/L

Nominal and measured concentrations:

nominal: 100, 180, 320, 560, 1000 mg/L

Details on test conditions:

The temperature was kept between 21.7 and 23.0 C, and the light
regime was 15 hours ambient light per day. The duration of the test was 96 hours.
The test vessels were 2 l glass aquaria, containing 1 l of test medium.
The loading in the test vessels was approximately 0.6 g biomass/l.

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

0.18 g/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality (fish)

Remarks on result:

other: 0.14-0.23 g/L

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

0.32 g/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality (fish)

Details on results:

No mortality occurred at 0.1 g/l, and 100% mortality occurred at 0.32 g/l. The
LC50-96 was 0.18 g/l. The 95% confidence limits are 0.14 and 0.23 g/l.
The quality criteria of this test have been fulfilled: the mortality
in the control was S10%, the oxygen concentration was >60% of
the air-saturation value throughout the test, and the concentration
of PEHA in the test medium remained constant.
The result of the present test are very well in line with earlier
tests. Ten Berge and Blok (1975) found an LC 50 -96 h for guppy of
0.19 g/l with 95% confidence limits of 0.16 and 0.22 g/l.

Reported statistics and error estimates:

The LC50 was determined with an LC50 program of Griffioen
(R1ZA), based on a model of Kooyman (1981).

Sublethal observations / clinical signs:

Nominal concentration mg/L	Cumulative number of surviving animals
	0h	24h	48h	72h	96h
control	30	30	30	30	30
100	10	10	10	10	10
180	10	10	9	9	5
320	10	10	6	2	0
560	10	10	4	1	0
1000	10	10	2	0	0

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Conclusions:

No significant mortality occurred at 0.1 g/l, and 100% mortality occurred at 0.3
g/l. The LC50 -96 was 0.18 g/l. The 95% confidence limits are 0.14 and 0.23 g/l.
The quality criteria of this test have been fulfilled: the mortality
in the control was <90%, the oxygen concentration was >60% of
the air-saturation value throughout the test, and the concentration
of TEPA in the test medium remained constant. The test is valid. Only nominal concentrations were recorded so this is a limitation when using these values in a riskassessment.

Executive summary:

Pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA) was tested in an acute toxicity test with guppy (Poecilia reticulata). The test was performed according to the EEC method, part C.: Methods for the determination of ecotoxicity, C.1. Acute toxicity to fish.

The test was performed as a semi-static test, in which the solution was renewed after 48 hours. During this time pentaethylenehexamine is not (bio)degradable.

No mortality was observed up to 0.18 g/l. The LC50 was 0.18 g/l, with 95% confidence limits of 0.14 and 0.23 g/l. The quality criteria of this test have been fulfilled: the mortality in the control was S10%, the oxygen concentration was >60% of the air-saturation value throughout the test, and the concentration of PEHA in the test medium remained constant.

Only nominal concentrations were recorded. this limits the usability of the test data for the purpose of riskassessement when looking at the bioavailable fraction .

Description of key information

LC50(96h):180 mg/L (nominal)

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Effect concentration:

180 mg/L

Additional information

The acute toxicity of the substance to freshwater fish was tested in a guideline study following EU Method C.1 and S.A.L.M. Kooyman: "Parametric Analysis of mortality rates in bio-assays". Water Research 15(1981)107-119. The semi-static test was conducted with Poecilia reticulata as test organism. The fish were exposed to nominal substance concentrations of 100, 180, 320, 560 and 1000 mg/L for 96 hours. The test solution was renewed after 48 hours. Analytical dose verification was not performed since the substance was expected to be stable under the tested conditions. Mortality was not observed up to a concentration of 180 mg/L. Analytical dose verification was not performed since the substance was expected to be stable under the tested conditions. At test termination a LC50 (96 h) of 180 mg/L (nominal) was determined.