polymeric zinc propylenebis(dithiocarbamate);propineb (ISO)

Long-term toxicity to fish

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

fish, juvenile growth test

Remarks:

growth and survival of juvenile rainbow trout

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

2004/08/23 to 2004/09/27

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

other: OECD Guidance Document "Freshwater Lentic Field Tests", 2004 (Draft); Guidance Document on Testing Procedures for Pesticides in Freshwater Mesocosms (SETAC-Europe Workshop, Monks Wood, UK, July 1991)

Deviations:

no

GLP compliance:

yes (incl. QA statement)

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Details on sampling:

The water column was depth-integrated sampled with a perspex tube (50 cm length). The water samples were transferred to 0,5 L brown bottles. The bottles were placed in boxes covered with lids and transferred to the laboratory as soon as possible. In the laboratory, two brown HPLC vials were filled with aliquots of water taken from each of the bottles. One of the vials was analyzed for PTU content immediately. The other vial was transferred to a drying oven at 65°C for 24 h, after which period its PTU content was determined.

Sampling of the enclosures was done in duplicate at 1 h before the first application and 1, 4, 8, 24, 72 and 176 hours after each application of Propineb.

Vehicle:

no

Test organisms (species):

Oncorhynchus mykiss (previous name: Salmo gairdneri)

Details on test organisms:

Young rainbow trout (most were 7 — 9 cm in length) were obtained from a commercial fish farm. Upon arrival at the experimental station (day —7) fish were transferred into containers, holding approx. 100 fish in 250 L of water. The containers were supplied with water taken from a supply bassin, providing them with clean water very similar to the water from the ditch containing the enclosures.

Four days prior to the first application of the test substance fish were taken from the storage tanks and anaesthetized by exposing them to a solution of 60 mg/L MS-222 and 120 mg/L
sodiumbicarbonate. After measuring their fork length and their wet weight, the fish were allowed to recover in clean water from the experimental ditch.

Fish were fed a commercial fish food 4 times per week.

Test type:

other: repeated application (4times)

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

28 d

Test temperature:

11-22 °C

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Nominal treatment levels were 80, 150, 300 and 600 µg a.s./L

Details on test conditions:

The study was carried out in twelve enclosures placed in an experimental ditch. Each enclosure consisted of a cylinder (diameter 1.05 m, height 0.90 m) made of polycarbonate pervious to light, which was pushed approx. 0.15 m into the sediment of the selected ditch (ditch number 4). The height of the enclosures above water surface was approx. 0.25 m, water depth was approx. 0.50 m. Each enclosure contained approximately 433 dmE3 of water. In the enclosures macrophytes were partly removed in order to reach a cover of approx. 50 % of the sediment in each enclosure. The enclosures were placed into the experimental ditch in week 31 on 26 July 2004, after which they were marked with labels denoting the number of the enclosure (1-12) and intended exposure level (0, 80, 150, 300 or 600 µg a.s./L).

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Key result

Duration:

28 d

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

>= 600 µg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

other: length, weight, growth of length and survival of juvenile rainbow trout

Details on results:

The test was performed with the formulated product Propineb 70 WP.

Residue Analysis
The measured concentrations in the spray solutions were 106 ± 17% of nominal target concentrations, indicating that the initial concentrations in the enclosures will have been close to nominal target concentrations.

The concentration of test compound decreased quite rapidly after the application. The measured water concentrations in the enclosures measured 1 h after application were 35 - 55% of the nominal target concentrations. A very fast initial period of disappearance (usually lasting less than 1 hour) was followed by a slightly slower phase of disappearance with a half-life of approximately 0.5 days (average value over all enclosures and all applications). The DT50 for the first part of the dissipation was less than 1 hour.

At all treatment levels there was a slight increase of the initial concentration after each of the treatments, i.e. a slight build up of the test substance, indicating that not all of the test substance had disappeared from the water in the interval between applications.
Time-weighted average exposure levels over the 28-day treatment period were 7.4 µg/L, 16 µg/L, 41 µg/L and 105 µg/L. In all enclosures the concentration of the metabolite PTU increased rapidly after each of the applications, indicating the rapid transformation of the test substance into PTU.

After each application the concentration of PTU decreases from day 1 to day 3 after application. Both PTU and the parent compound propineb disappear rather fast from the aqueous phase. In all enclosures, only 6% or less of the total (cumulative) amount of the test substance dosed is still present at the end of the test period (28 days after the first treatment), either as propineb or as PTU.

Biology
No treatment-related effects on macrophytes species composition and cover were observed, nor could any treatment-related effects be demonstrated on the measurement endpoints temperature, pH and chlorophyll-a content of phytoplankton. Oxygen content of the enclosures was slightly lowered in the highest treatment level during the first week of treatment, probably because of slight differences in macrophyte biomass and aeration between enclosures. Since decreases were small (< 1 mg/L) and oxygen content always remained above 10 mg/L in all enclosures, these differences are considered to be of no biological relevance.

During the 28-day period of exposure to the test substance, 1 out of 100 fish had died (in one of the replicates at 600 µg/L) and 1 fish was missing at the end of the study (in one of the replicates at 300 µg/L). There was no apparent relationship between mortality and treatment with the test substance.

There were no significant differences in mean length, weight and growth of length of the fish in the various treatment levels. Growth of weight of fish was slightly, but statistically significant, larger in the highest treatment. Since the lengths and weights of the fish were not affected by the treatment, this slight increase in growth of weight is considered to be not relevant. No consistent changes in the behaviour of fish were observed in any of the treated enclosures.

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not specified

Conclusions:

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of repeated applications (4×) of propineb formulation on growth and survival of juvenile rainbow trout under outdoor field conditions.
The study was carried out using 10 enclosures. All enclosures contained approx. 433 dm3 of water, some macrophytes and had a bottom layer of sediment. The treatment consisted of 4 applications of propineb at one week intervals, simulating spray drift. Nominal treatment levels were 80, 150, 300 and 600 µg a.s./L. The test lasted for 28 days after the first application of the test substance.
At all treatment levels up to and including 600 µg a.s./L no treatment-related effects were observed on length, weight, growth of length and survival of juvenile rainbow trout. The NOEC was determined to be =600 µg a.s./L, the highest treatment level used.

Executive summary:

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of repeated applications (4×) of propineb formulation on growth and survival of juvenile rainbow trout under outdoor field conditions.

The study was carried out using 10 enclosures. All enclosures contained approx. 433 dm³ of water, some macrophytes and had a bottom layer of sediment. The treatment consisted of 4 applications of propineb at one week intervals, simulating spray drift. Nominal treatment levels were 80, 150, 300 and 600 µg a.s./L. The test lasted for 28 days after the first application of the test substance.

At all treatment levels up to and including 600 µg a.s./L no treatment-related effects were observed on length, weight, growth of length and survival of juvenile rainbow trout. The NOEC was determined to be ≥600 µg a.s./L, the highest treatment level used.

Description of key information

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of repeated applications (4×) of propineb formulation on growth and survival of juvenile rainbow trout under outdoor field conditions.

The study was carried out using 10 enclosures. All enclosures contained approx. 433 dm³ of water, some macrophytes and had a bottom layer of sediment. The treatment consisted of 4 applications of propineb at one week intervals, simulating spray drift. Nominal treatment levels were 80, 150, 300 and 600 µg a.s./L. The test lasted for 28 days after the first application of the test substance.

At all treatment levels up to and including 600 µg a.s./L no treatment-related effects were observed on length, weight, growth of length and survival of juvenile rainbow trout. The NOEC was determined to be ≥600 µg a.s./L, the highest treatment level used.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect concentration:

>= 600 µg/L