2-piperazin-1-ylethylamine

Short-term toxicity to fish

Description of key information

For pH adjusted test solutions, the reported NOEC values were in the range of >1000 - 1030 mg/L, while the 96 hour LC50 was 2190 mg/L. 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Effect concentration:

2 190 mg/L

Additional information

Five acute toxicity studies involving three different freshwater fish species (fathead minnows, rainbow trout, and golden orfe) were available for evaluation. Two of these studies noted no fish mortality at the tested concentrations. For the remaining studies that did observe mortality, the reported toxicity values varied based on whether or not pH was adjusted in the test solutions. In studies that did not adjust pH accordingly, NOEC values were reported in the range of 215 - 259 mg/L, while 96-hour LC50 values were reported in the range of 368 - 560 mg/L. When pH was adjusted, the NOEC was 1030 mg/L and the 96 hour LC50 was 2190 mg/L. The variation in toxicity values is likely due to differences in pH of test vessels, rather than species differences, since the reported 96 hour LC50 value for fathead minnows was 560 mg/L in non-pH adjusted test solutions and 2190 mg/L when pH was adjusted. When pH was not adjusted in the test system, the pH was elevated to levels that would reasonably contribute to the observed toxicity in freshwater fish (>9.0).

The key study by Gieger et al. (1986) was selected as the highest quality study because it was the only study to have analytically confirmed test solutions that were pH adjusted. Thus, the reported NOEC of 1030 mg/L and the 96 hour LC50 of 2190 mg/L from this study reflects the inherent toxicity of the test substance to freshwater fish.