Ethylenediamine-N,N'-di(acetic acid)

Toxicity to terrestrial plants

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

toxicity to terrestrial plants: long-term

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

no data available

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: acceptable, well documented study

Justification for type of information:

Study is read across and slightly updated and presented under "type of information" as experimental study until the lead company has updated the Source RSS
Read across justification is presented in IUCLID chapter 13

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 227 (Terrestrial Plant Test: Vegetative Vigour Test)

GLP compliance:

not specified

Specific details on test material used for the study:

Details on properties of test surrogate or analogue material (migrated information):
no data available

Analytical monitoring:

not specified

Details on sampling:

no data available

Vehicle:

not specified

Details on preparation and application of test substrate:

A silty–loamy sand agricultural soil, USDA (Soil Survey Manual), was collected from 0 to 30 cm surface layer of the Melaten field in Aachen, Germany. The soil was air-dried at room temperature, sieved through a 2-mm sieve and characterised as follows:

pH: 6.8
organic matter: 3.5 %
soil fractions
sand: 49.4 %
Clay: 42.1 %
Silt: 8.5 %

Species:

other: Nicotiana tabacum

Plant group:

Dicotyledonae (dicots)

Details on test organisms:

Tobacco plants (N. tabacum SR-1) were used for the experiment.

Test type:

vegetative vigour test

Study type:

laboratory study

Substrate type:

natural soil

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

21 d

Remarks:

approximately 3 weeks

Post exposure observation period:

no data available

Test temperature:

25/20 °C light/dark temperature regime

pH:

6.40 - 6.83

Moisture:

60% relative humidity

Details on test conditions:

16 h light period (light intensity of 320 µmol/m2 * s)

Nominal and measured concentrations:

nominal: 0.125,0.25, 1.25, 62.5, 125, and 250 mmol/kg for Na2EDTA

Reference substance (positive control):

not specified

Species:

other: Nicotiana tabacum

Duration:

21 d

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

> 0.25 - < 1.25 other: mmol/kg

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

growth

Details on results:

EDTA did not show any adverse effects at a concentration of < 0.125 mmol/kg. At 1.25 mmol/kg of EDTA the leaves showed necrotic lesions and the dry weight was negligible. At a concentration of 0.25 mmol/kg EDTA the dry weight is only slightly lower but the standard deviation is higher in comparison to the 0.125 mmol/kg application.

Results with reference substance (positive control):

no data available

Reported statistics and error estimates:

no data availble

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not specified

Conclusions:

Based on the results of this vegetative vigour study EDTA had an inhibitory effect on growth of Nicotiana tabacum at rate of 1.25 mmol/kg soil (equivalent to 420 mg/kg). The NOEC will be determined to be 0.25 mmol/kg soil (equivalent to 84 mg/kg soil).

Executive summary:

The effects of EDTA (Na2H2 EDTA) on vegetative vigour of plants following application were examined in a laboratory test on Nicotiana tabacum. The test item was applied at a dose rate of up to 250 mmol/kg and compared to an untreated control.

According to the results, the test item had an inhibitory effect on growth of the tested species at rates of 1.25 mmol/kg soil (equivalent to 420 mg/kg) and thus determined to be the overall LOEC for this species.

The overall NOEC was determined to be 0.25 mmol/kg soil (equivalent to 84 mg/kg Na2H2 EDTA).

Description of key information

Two studies with EDTA salts or complexes have been performed, examining different end-points (vegatative vigour and seedling emergence) in different plant species. In the 21d vegatitive vigour study (Evangelou et al., 2006) a true NOEC could be established, while in the 14d seedling emergence test (Geebelen et al., 2002) no effect was observed at the highest tested dose. Recalculation of the NOEC from Na2H2 EDTA to H4 EDTA results in a NOEC of 73.1 mg/kg soil dw.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Long-term EC10, LC10 or NOEC for terrestrial plants:

73.1 mg/kg soil dw

Additional information

The hazard assessment of H4 -EDTA reveals neither a need to classify the substance as dangerous to the environment, nor is it a PBT or vPvB substance. The substance is expected to have a low potential for adsorption based on its ionic structure under environmental relevant pH conditions and its low log Kow , the low log Kow also indicates that the substance will not be bioaccumulative. There are no further indications that the substance may be hazardous to the environment.