Copper cyanide

Toxicity to microorganisms

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Reference 1

Endpoint:

toxicity to microorganisms, other

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

1997

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

study well documented, meets generally accepted scientific principles, acceptable for assessment

Qualifier:

no guideline followed

Principles of method if other than guideline:

To date, toxicological experiments are oriented to the display of sublethal effects, obtained often with in vitro cultures of fish or mammalian cells, because it has been proven that these models correlate well with in vivo tests and that they can be used to predict the undesirable effects of various pollutants.
Among the various in vitro assays, the neutral red incorporation assay, the MTT reduction assay, and the Coomassie blue assay are among the most used; they have been selected for this study, as well as the cellular growth rate assay and the RNA synthesis rate determination assay. These assays, performed on the L-929 established cell line of murine fibroblasts, allowed the toxicological potential of 16 inorganic environmental pollutants (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ge, Hg, Mn, Nb, Pb, Sb, Sn, Ti, V, and Zn) to be specified. Concurrently, the toxicity of these inorganic substances was tested on the most commonly used ecotoxicological model, Tetrahymena pyriformis GL, and the results were compared to the in vivo data mentioned in the literature.

GLP compliance:

not specified

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Test organisms (species):

Tetrahymena pyriformis

Details on inoculum:

Ciliated protozoa T. pyriformis, amicronucleated strain GL

Total exposure duration:

48 h

Details on test conditions:

Culture Conditions
The ciliated protozoa T. pyriformis, amicronucleated strain GL, was grown axenically at 28°C in the PPYS-defined medium containing 0.75% proteose-peptone (from Difco, France), 0.75% yeast extracts (from Difco, France), and inorganic salts (Plessner et al., 1964). The cultures were performed in suspension, in 100 ml of PPYS medium contained in capped 500-ml Fernach flasks.

Bioassay: Doubling Time of T. pyriformis GL Population Assay (DTP)
The toxicological potential of inorganic substances tested on T. pyriformis GL was evaluated by the doubling time of the TP population assay, as previously described (Sauvant et al., 1995).

Key result

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

>= 3.6 - <= 3.8 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Conclusions:

The NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition was 3.6-3.8 mg / L.

Executive summary:

Sauvant, M.P et al. (1997) reported the relative toxicity of 16 environmental pollutants such as inorganic elements (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ge, Hg, Mn, Nb, Pb, Sb, Sn, Ti, To examine the toxicity of murine fibroblasts and ciliates (Tetrahymena pyriformis) by five bioassays such as RNA synthesis rate analysis, MTT reduction assay, NRI, Coomassie blue method, and cell growth rate assay .

Based on the results of this study, the NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition was 3.6-3.8 mg / L for the substance copper chloride.

Reference 2

Endpoint:

toxicity to microorganisms, other

Type of information:

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

Remarks:

from the source substance copper chloride

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Justification for type of information:

REPORTING FORMAT FOR THE ANALOGUE APPROACH
1. HYPOTHESIS FOR THE ANALOGUE APPROACH
A read-across based on analogue approach has been performed for that endpoint.
The read-across hypothesis, according to Read Across Assessment Framework published by ECHA, is based on the fact that different compounds which have the same type of effect(s). It corresponds to the scenario 2 described as follows:
« This scenario covers the analogue approach for which the read-across hypothesis is based on different compounds which have the same type of effect(s). For the REACH information requirement under consideration, the effects obtained in a study conducted with one source substance are used to predict the effects that would be observed in a study with the target substance if it were to be conducted. The same type of effect(s) or absence of effect is predicted. The predicted strength of the effects may be similar or based on a worst-case assumption. ».

2. SOURCE AND TARGET CHEMICAL(S) (INCLUDING INFORMATION ON PURITY AND IMPURITIES)
The read-across has been performed between copper cyanide (CAS No. 544-92-3; target chemical) and copper chloride (CAS No. 7758-89-6; source chemical).

3. ANALOGUE APPROACH JUSTIFICATION
The registered substance is insoluble and has low degradability and low rate of decomposition into copper compounds and cyanides in water. However, when decomposed, the cyanide rapidly changes into hydrogen cyanide, which is not bioconcentrated. Therefore, it is considered that the harmfulness to the environment will have a greater influence on the copper compound. Therefore, since there is no toxicity data on microorganisms available for the registered substance copper cyanide, data on copper chloride were used.
Based on these elements and to the fact that both target and source chemicals are inorganic substances having close physical-chemical properties and environmental fate, it can be assumed that copper chloride and copper cyanide may have similar ecotoxicological properties. The read-across approach between copper cyanide and copper chloride is therefore relevant for this endpoint.

Reason / purpose for cross-reference:

read-across source

GLP compliance:

not specified

Key result

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

>= 3.6 - <= 3.8 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Conclusions:

Based on a read-across from the source substance copper chloride, the NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition is considered to be 3.6-3.8 mg / L for the registered substance copper cyanide.

Executive summary:

Sauvant, M.P et al. (1997) reported the relative toxicity of 16 environmental pollutants such as inorganic elements (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ge, Hg, Mn, Nb, Pb, Sb, Sn, Ti, To examine the toxicity of murine fibroblasts and ciliates (Tetrahymena pyriformis) by five bioassays such as RNA synthesis rate analysis, MTT reduction assay, NRI, Coomassie blue method, and cell growth rate assay .

Based on the results of this study, the NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition was 3.6-3.8 mg / L for the substance copper chloride.

A read-across has been performed between copper cyanide (CAS No. 544-92-3; target chemical) and copper chloride (CAS No. 7758-89-6; source chemical).

Indeed, the registered substance is insoluble and has low degradability and low rate of decomposition into copper compounds and cyanides in water. However, when decomposed, the cyanide rapidly changes into hydrogen cyanide, which is not bioconcentrated. Therefore, it is considered that the harmfulness to the environment will have a greater influence on the copper compound. Therefore, since there is no toxicity data on microorganisms available for the registered substance copper cyanide, data on copper chloride were used.

Based on these elements and to the fact that both target and source chemicals are inorganic substances having close physical-chemical properties and environmental fate, it can be assumed that copper chloride and copper cyanide may have similar ecotoxicological properties. The read-across approach between copper cyanide and copper chloride is therefore relevant for this endpoint.

Therefore, the NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition is considered to be 3.6-3.8 mg / L for the registered substance copper cyanide.

Description of key information

Based on a read-across from the source substance copper chloride, the NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition is considered to be 3.6-3.8 mg / L for the registered substance copper cyanide. 3.6 mg/L (more conservative than 3.8 mg/L) is selected as the key value for that endpoint.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

EC10 or NOEC for microorganisms:

3.6 mg/L

Additional information

For that endpoint, a study on the registered substance was not available. Nevertheless, a study on copper chloride was available

In this study, Sauvant, M.P et al. (1997) reported the relative toxicity of 16 environmental pollutants such as inorganic elements (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ge, Hg, Mn, Nb, Pb, Sb, Sn, Ti, To examine the toxicity of murine fibroblasts and ciliates (Tetrahymena pyriformis) by five bioassays such as RNA synthesis rate analysis, MTT reduction assay, NRI, Coomassie blue method, and cell growth rate assay .

Based on the results of this study, the NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition was 3.6-3.8 mg / L for the substance copper chloride.

A read-across has been performed between copper cyanide (CAS No. 544-92-3; target chemical) and copper chloride (CAS No. 7758-89-6; source chemical).

Indeed, the registered substance is insoluble and has low degradability and low rate of decomposition into copper compounds and cyanides in water. However, when decomposed, the cyanide rapidly changes into hydrogen cyanide, which is not bioconcentrated. Therefore, it is considered that the harmfulness to the environment will have a greater influence on the copper compound. Therefore, since there is no toxicity data on microorganisms available for the registered substance copper cyanide, data on copper chloride were used.

Based on these elements and to the fact that both target and source chemicals are inorganic substances having close physical-chemical properties and environmental fate, it can be assumed that copper chloride and copper cyanide may have similar ecotoxicological properties. The read-across approach between copper cyanide and copper chloride is therefore relevant for this endpoint.

Therefore, the NOEC for the 48 hour activated sludge respiratory inhibition is considered to be 3.6-3.8 mg / L for the registered substance copper cyanide.