Butyl chloroformate

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

Parent compound butyl chloroformate (CAS 592-34-7, rapidly hydrolyzing): No data available.

Hydrolysis product hydrogen chloride (HCL, CAS 7647 -01 -0): Acutely very toxic to aquatic invertebrates (pH dependent).

Hydrolysis product butanol (CAS 71 -36 -3): With high probability acutely not harmful to aquatic invertebrates.

Additional information

Data for parent compound butyl chloroformate (CAS 592-34-7):

No data on the short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates are available for butyl chloroformate (CAS 592-34-7).

However, as the substance rapidly hydrolyses in contact with water to butanol (CAS 71 -36 -3), hydrogen chloride (CAS 7647-01-0) and carbon dioxide (CAS 124-38-9). The assessment is, therefore, based on the available data of the hydrolysis products.

 

Data for Hydrolysis product - hydrogen chloride (HCL, CAS 7647-01-0):

For the hydrolysis product hydrogen chloride (HCL, CAS 7647-01-0) a short-term study with Daphnia magna, performed according to OECD guideline 202 is available (OECD SIDS, 2002). The 48-h EC50 value was determined to be 0.492 mg/L (acid equivalent converted from pH 5.3).

 

Hydrolysis product – butanol (CAS 71-36-3):

For the hydrolysis product butanol (CAS 71-36-3) a number of results from aquatic invertebrate studies are available. The key effect value is a 48-h EC50 > 1000 mg/L as observed in a study with D. magna. The limit test was conducted according to OECD guideline 202 and in compliance with GLP criteria and the test concentrations were analytically verified (MOE, Japan; 1996). In addition, several acute ecotoxicity studies with freshwater and marine species (D. magna; N. Spinipes; A. salina) are also available for CAS 71-36-3. According to these supporting data the lowest 48-h EC50 was 1328 mg/L, based on measured test concentrations (D. magna; OECD 202; Wong et al. 1998, as cited in SIDS 2001).

 

No data for the toxicity of carbon dioxide (CAS 124-38-9) to aquatic invertebrates are available.

 

Assessment:

There are no data available regarding the toxic effect of the parent compound butyl chloroformate (CAS 592-34-7) to aquatic invertebrates.

The key study with the hydrolysis product butanol (CAS 71-36-3) comes from a test with Daphnia magna. The study was performed according to according to OECD guideline 202, the 48-h EC50 was determined to be > 1000 mg/L (nominal), indicating no harmful effects (MOE, Japan; 2002).

The hydrolysis product HCl showed to be acutely very toxic to aquatic invertebrates due to the low pH: 48 -h EC50 = 0.492 mg/L (acid equivalents to pH 5.3; OECD SIDS, 2002).

 

 Summary of acute aquatic invertebrate toxicity data:

Compound	Species	Results	Guideline	Reference
Hydrolysis product (CAS 7647-01-0)	Daphnia magna	48-h EC50 = 0.492 mg/L (pH-dependent; acid equivalent)	OECD 202	OECD SIDS (2002)
Hydrolysis product (CAS 71-36-3)	Daphnia magna	48-h EC50 > 1000 mg/L	OECD 202	MOE, Japan (1996)
Hydrolysis product (CAS 71-36-3)	div.	48-h EC50 >1000 mg/L	div.	OECD SIDS (2001); (summary of div. test results)