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EC number: 205-861-8 | CAS number: 156-62-7
Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
For the assessment of the aquatic toxicity of calcium cyanamide, available acute toxicity data for calcium cyanamide, technical grade (Kalkstickstoff) were supplemented by acute and chronic toxicity results of the read-across substance cyanamide. (No) observed effect values for either substance – Kalkstickstoff and cyanamide – were re-calculated to 100 % pure cyanamide:
For aquatic acute and chronic toxicity endpoints, invertebrates (i.e. Daphnia magna) are the most sensitive species, with a 48-h EC50 of 2.2 mg cyanamide/L (Seibersdorf, 2010) and a 21 -d NOEC (reproduction) of
0.1 mg cyanamide/L (Murrell, 1995).
Additional information
Upon dissolution in water calcium cyanamide is fast transformed to hydrogen cyanamide.
Therefore, ecotoxicity in natural aquatic environments can be expressed in terms of cyanamide, irrespective of the substance constituting the exposure source. This is supported by experimental results: After stoichiometric correction of test concentrations, toxic effect values of cyanamide and calcium cyanamide are very similar in all standard test organisms. Thus, read-across from cyanamide to calcium cyanamide is justified for aquatic environmental endpoints.
For agricultural applications, calcium cyanamide is formulated as granules (PERLKA) that only slowly degrades in a soil environment. Exposure of the aquatic environment will be preliminary due to runoff from agricultural fields. As above, cyanamide is the chemical moiety relevant for exposure due to the rapid transformation of calcium cyanamide to cyanamide.
(Please note: direct release of the product to surface waters is strictly advised against, thus not a relevant exposure pathway.
For detailed description where read across is used/recommended and where it is preferrable to refain from read across, please see section 13.2 "read across justification for environmental endpoints" and "Scientific rationale for not using cyanamide as read-across substance for calcium cyanamide on toxicological endpoints")
Calcium cyanamide is rapidly degraded within a few days to mainly urea in soil and sediment (see environmental fate section). The derived values for calcium cyanamide and cyanamide were re-calculated from the (no) obeserved effect values for calcium cyanamide, technical grade (Kalkstickstoff) which contains 69.3 % calcium cyanamide.
The LC50 (96 h) of calcium cyanamide in zebra fish was determined to be 97 mg calcium cyanamide/L (ca. 51 mg cyanamide/L) based on nominal concentrations. The NOEL was determined to be 69.3 mg calcium cyanamide/L (36.4 mg cyanamide/L).
In a static immobilisation test, the EC50 (48 h, Daphnia magna) was determined to be 4.2 mg calcium cyanamide/L (2.2 mg cyanamide/L). The NOEC (48 h) was 1.2 mg calcium cyanamide/L (0.63 mg cyanamide/L).
The EC50 (72 h) of calcium cyanamide in algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) was determined to be 19.1 mg calcium cyanamide/L (10 mg cyanamide/L) based on nominal concentrations (growth rate). The NOEC was determined to be 9.5 mg calcium cyanamide/L (5 mg cyanamide/L) based on growth rate.
Toxicity to microorganisms:
In this activated sludge respiratory inhibition test with calcium cyanamide, technical grade (Kalkstickstoff), an EC50 value of >207.9 mg calcium cyanamide/L (109 mg cyanamide/L) was determined after an incubation time of 3 h. The EC10 was calculated to be 20.79 mg calcium cyanamide/L (10.90 mg cyanamide/L). This value is used for risk assessment and determination of the PNEC(STP).
Acute studies indicate that cyanamide has a low toxicity to fish, a moderate toxicity to algae and a high toxicity to daphnids (EC50 (48 h) = 3.2 ai mg/L). The EC50 values of the short and long - term toxicity are in a range between 0.4 and 180.0 mg of an aqueous solution of cyanamide/L (equivalent to 0.2 to 90.0 mg of the pure ai/L). The NOECs of the chronic studies indicate that daphnids are the most susceptible species, with a 21-d NOEC of 0.1044 mg cyanamide/L (mean measured concentration) (Murell et al. 1995), and a 21-d NOEC of ≥ 0.47 mg cyanamide/L (Brüggemann 2019).
Please note: The study of Brüggemann (2019) was developed to investigate the effect of cyanamide on the reproduction of Daphnia magna under more realistic conditions, i.e. as part of the refined risk assessment for cyanamide released from the fertiliser product PERLKA upon application to agricultural fields. For simulating a typical run-off-situation after application of PERLKA, cyanamide was applied to a water sediment system once.
In the following, a summary of the aquatic toxicity testing values obtained with the aqueous solution of cyanamide and extrapolated to pure active ingredient/substance cyanamide
Species
|
Test/duration
|
NOEC mg/L1
|
EC50 or LC50 mg/L1
|
Reference
|
Oncorhynchus mykiss (fish)
|
acute (96 h)
|
62.5 [30.6]2
|
180.0 [88.2]2
|
McAllister et al. (1985)
|
Oncorhynchus mykiss (fish)
|
acute (96 h)
|
64.8 [31.8]2
|
93.0 [45.6]2
|
Barrows, B. (1985)
|
Bluegill sunfish (fish)
|
acute (96 h)
|
62.5 [30.6]2
|
88.0 [43.1]2
|
McAllister et al. (1985)
|
Cyprinus carpio (fish)
|
acute (96 h)
|
61.0 [29.9]2
|
165.0 [80.9]2
|
Bowmann, J. (1990)
|
Daphnia magna (invertebrates)
|
acute (48 h)
|
3.2 [1.6]2
|
6.5 [3.2]2
|
Adema, M. (1983)
|
Oncorhynchus mykiss (fish)
|
chronic (21 d)
|
7.5 [3.7]2
|
24.0 [11.8]2
|
Bowmann, J. (1990)
|
Daphnia magna (invertebrates)
|
chronic (21 d)
|
0.1044²
|
> 0.41²
|
Murell et al. (1995)
|
Daphnia magna (invertebrates) |
chronic (21 d)
|
≥ 0.470 nominal |
n.d. |
Brüggemann (2019) |
Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (algae)
|
acute (90.5 h)
|
2.2 [1.1]2
|
27.5 [13.5]2
|
Schoot Uiterkamp, A.J.M. (1988)
|
Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (algae)
|
acute (72 h)
|
5.0 [2.6]2
|
32.5 [16.6]2
|
Seyfried, B. (2000)
|
Anabaena flos-aquae (cyanobacteria)
|
acute (72 h)
|
0.21 [0.11]2
|
1.29 [0.65]2
|
Hertl, J. (2000)
|
Chironomus riparius (insects)
|
chronic (28 d)
|
13.0 [6.6]2
|
56.7 [28.9]2
|
Heintze, A. (2001)
|
Lemna gibba (plant)
|
Short-term (7 d)
|
1.0 [0.5]2
|
10.98 [5.61]2
|
Hertl, J. (2000)
|
Pseudomonas putida (microorganism)
|
Acute (19 h)
|
Toxicity threshold: 320 [157]2
|
577 [283]2
|
Hanstveit et al. (1988)
|
1 = based on an aqueous solution of cyanamide (about 50 %)
2 = based on pure active ingredient
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