Lithium carbonate

Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

Read-across from lithium:
In the 21-day semi-static chronic toxicity test to Daphnia magna with lithium, the 21-day No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) value and the Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC) value, related to reproduction were 1.70 mg/L and 2.53 mg/L, respectively. 
The 21-day EC50 value was determined to be higher than 1.70 mg/L. Based on a read-across approach, the calculated NOEC value for lithium carbonate was 9 mg/L.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

9 mg/L

Additional information

Long-term toxicity test in aquatic invertebrates with lithium carbonate is not available. Consequently, read-across was applied using study results obtained from lithium and supported by a study on lithium hydroxide monohydrate.

Lithium

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the test item lithium on the reproductive output of Daphnia magna in a semi-static test system according to OECD Guideline 211. Young female Daphnia (the parent animals) aged less than 24 hours at the start of the test were exposed to aqueous test media containing the test item for 21 days at a range of concentrations. The nominal test item concentrations were 0.50, 0.75, 1.13, 1.70, 2.53, 3.80 and 5.70 mg lithium/L. The performed parallel running analytical determinations confirmed that the test item concentrations examined (lowest and highest test concentrations) remained within the range of ± 20 % of the nominal and of the initial concentrations (varied between 98 and 117 per cent of the nominal concentration); thus, all results were based on the nominal test item concentrations. In the three highest tested concentrations (2.53, 3.80 and 5.70 mg/L) all parent animals died by the 13th day of the test without producing any offspring. Therefore the results of these concentrations were excluded from the data analysis related to the reproductive output. In the control group two parent animals (20 %) died during the test which was within the acceptable validity criteria. In the concentration range of 0.50 – 1.70 mg/L mortality of parent animals was not observed during the experiment. The reproduction was not reduced statistically significantly in the concentration range of 0.50 – 1.70 mg/L compared to the untreated control group. During the evaluation of the body length of parent animals at the end of the test, statistically significant difference was not observed in the remained living parent daphnids (in the concentration range of 0.50 – 1.70 mg/L) compared to the control group. Aborted broods, presence of male neonates or ephippia were not noticed during the test. Accordingly, the 21-day NOEC value related to reproduction was determined to be 1.70 mg/L and the LOEC value as 2.53 mg/L. The obtained results were not sufficient for an exact EC50 value estimation. The 21-day EC50 was determined to be higher than 1.70 mg/L. Based on a read-across approach, the calculated NOEC value for lithium carbonate was 9 mg/L.