Phthalimide

Toxicity to terrestrial plants

Administrative data

Endpoint:

toxicity to terrestrial plants, other

Remarks:

influence on germination and vegetative growth

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

other information

Reliability:

4 (not assignable)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

secondary literature

Data source

Reference

Reference 1

Reference Type:

secondary source

Title:

Phthalimide - CAS No: 85-41-6

Author:

OECD SIDS

Year:

2005

Bibliographic source:

SIDS Initial Assessment Report for 20th SIAM, UNEP Publications

Reference 2

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Responses of day-neutral, June-bearing and everbearing strawberry cultivars to gibberellic acid and phthalimide treatments

Author:

Choma ME and Himelrick DG

Year:

1984

Bibliographic source:

Scientia Horticulturae (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 22 (3), 257-64

Reference 3

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Effects of phthalimide on growth and alkaloid formation of Datura metel L.

Author:

Fasulo MP, Forestieri AM, Galati EM and Tumino G

Year:

1984

Bibliographic source:

Experientia 41, 509-510

Reference 4

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Comparative effects of heterocyclic compounds on inhibition of lettuce fruit germination

Author:

Reynolds T

Year:

1989

Bibliographic source:

J. Exp. Bot. 40 (212), 391-404.

Materials and methods

Principles of method if other than guideline:

OECD SIDS

GLP compliance:

not specified

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Phthalimide

EC Number:

201-603-3

EC Name:

Phthalimide

Cas Number:

85-41-6

Molecular formula:

C8H5NO2

IUPAC Name:

1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione

Results and discussion

Any other information on results incl. tables

OECD SIDS (2005):

 

No standard tests on toxicity towards terrestrial plants are available. However, the influence of phthalimide on germination and vegetative growth of Fragaria ananassa, Datura metel and Lactuca sativa was tested.Phthalimide and gibberellic acid were added to glasshouse and field-grown crops ofFragaria ananassa(strawberry). The observation period was of 7 weeks for the glasshouse and one year for the field study. Plants were irrigated as needed. In all experiments the vegetative vigour of the test plants increased in the presence of gibberellic acid as well as in the presence of a combination of both phthalimide and gibberellic acid. The addition of phthalimide brought no significant improvement in growth.Phthalimide was not toxic in concentrations of up to 1000 mg/l, but at that concentration most efficient in increasing leaf number(Choma and Himelrick, 1984).

The influence of the potassium salt of phthalimide on the vegetative growth ofDatura metel(jimson weed) was measured. Phthalimide potassium salt was administrated by foliar spraying and root immersion. The plants were harvested 30 days after transplanting and the following parameters were recorded: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, dry weights of roots, stems, and leaves, and alkaloid content (Fasulo et al., 1984).

The phthalimide potassium salt treatment exercised a marked stimulatory action upon the vegetative growth ofDatura metel. For foliar spraying the increases amounted between 11 % (dry material roots at 700 mg/l) and 65 % (stem length at 1400 mg/l) of control. When roots were immersed in a phthalimide potassium salt solution of 4000 mg/l for 5 sec before planting, increases of 13 % (dry material of leaves) to 35 % (stem diameter) were observed. Phthalimide potassium salt stimulates also the formation of tropane alkaloids in the roots and the transportation of these metabolic products to the aerial parts of the plant, where they accumulate. Phthalimide potassium salt was non-toxic forDatura metel(Fasulo et al., 1984).

The effect of phthalimide on the inhibition of germination of the plant Lactuca sativa L. cultivar (common lettuce) was investigated. The samples were grown on agar mediumin plastic containers with lidsat a temperature of30 °C. A nominal EC₅₀of0.23 mmol/lwas determined after 3 days, which corresponds to 33.8 mg/l (Reynolds, 1989).

 

Toxicity of phthalimide to terrestrial organisms:

 

Species	Endpoint	Test substance	Effects	Reference
Fragariaananassa(terrestrial plant)	Vegetative growth, e.g. no. of leaves, petiole length	phthalimide	The addition of 1000 mg/lphthalimideinto the crop increased leaf number	Choma andHimelrick, 1984
Daturametel(terrestrial plant)	Vegetative growth, e.g. plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, dry weight and alkaloid content	phthalimide potassium salt	4 g/l applied by root immersion were non-toxic. Significant improvement of the vegetative growth	Fasulo et al., 1984
Lactuca sativa(terrestrial plant)	Inhibition of germination	phthalimide	3 d-EC50= 33.8 mg/l (n)	Reynolds, 1989