Dibutyltin dilaurate

Short-term toxicity to fish

Description of key information

The following studies have been submitted to address the short-term toxicity to fish endpoint:
Steger-Hartmann T. and B. Wendt (1998). Acute toxicity of di-n-butyltin dilaurate (ZK 21976) to the Zebra fish Danio rerio. Research Report No. IC21. Berlin, Germany. 20 Nov. 1998. Testing laboratory: Experimentelle Toxikologie. Report no.: IC21. Study number: TXST19980198.
A reliability rating of 2 was assigned to this study, according to the criteria of Klimisch, 1997 as the study was conducted in accordance with generally accepted scientific principles, possibly with incomplete reporting or methodological deficiencies, which do not affect the quality of the relevant results. This study was chosen as the key study. Result: No LC50 could be determined, however nominal loading rate was 100 mg/L, so LC50 is considered to be >100 mg/L loading rate (>1 mg/L).
Steinhaeuser, K. G., W. Amann, A. Spaeth, and A. Polenz (1985). Investigations on the Aquatic Toxicity of Organotin Compounds. Vom Wasser. 65:203-214.
A reliability rating of 4 was assigned to this study, according to the criteria of Klimisch, 1997 as the study does not give sufficient experimental details and is therefore of reduced reliability. Result: The LC50 of Golden orphe is 2 mg/L (2000 ppb) 
Nagase, H., T. Hamasaki, T. Sato, H. Kito, Y. Yoshioka, and Y. Ose (1991). Structure-activity relationships for organotin compounds on the red killifish Oryzias latipes. Applied Organometallic Chemistry. 5:91-97.
A reliability rating of 4 was assigned to this study, according to the criteria of Klimisch, 1997 as the study does not give sufficient experimental details and is therefore of reduced reliability. Result: The LC50 value obtained from the acute toxicity test with Oryzias latipes for dibutyltin dilaurate was 3.23 x 10^-3 mmol/dm3 (2.04 mg/L).

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Effect concentration:

3.1 mg/L

Additional information

The key study is that of Steger-Hartmann and Wendt (1998) which has been given a Klimisch rating of 2. The study was a limit test with a mean measured concentration of 3.1 mg/L. This was a saturated solution, prepared as an emulsion and filtered. The test animals were exposed to this environment for a total exposure time of 96 hours. No deaths occurred at this concentration which was at or above the water solubility limit of the test material. The study was conducted to OECD guideline 203 but not to not conducted to GLP. The test material had a high purity of 99.8%, but the deviations in the preparation of the test solution and the fact that the study is non-GLP reduce the reliability of the study to 2 on the Klimisch et al, 1999 scale. The supporting studies were both assigned Klimisch ratings of 4 as they were inadequately reported.