Iron chloride sulphate

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

No relevant effects

Additional information

This endpoint is covered by the category approach for soluble iron salts (please see the section on physical and chemical properties for the category justification/report format). Testing for this endpoint has been waived in accordance with column 2 and Annex XI, part 1 and 2, restrictions.

Information from Literature Searches and earlier Assessment Approaches

The literature reviews of Vangheluwe & Versonnen (2004), Johnson et al. (2007) and OECD (2007) revealed some data. The results of the studies, selected as “reliable” by the respective authors are listed in the following tables. Nonetheless the experiments must be rated “not reliable” (Klimisch 3) according to the Klimisch et al. (1997) scale due to methodological objections against testing of aquatic organisms as concluded in the beginning of this chapter (section „Ecotoxicological information“). True, intrinsic toxicity of iron kations in aerobic aquatic test organisms cannot be determined in studies when the solubility of the dissolved ferric kation (as the ferrous form will readily be oxidized to ferric species) is exceeded. None of the experiments found effects at such low levels (depend on pH, section “water solubility”). Notwithstanding the methodological objections formally expressed in the waiving argument for the standard aquatic test organisms, the following data are mentioned for completeness.

Freshwater species:

Table: Data from the EURAS critical review (Vangheluwe & Versonnen 2004, table 3, p 12-14 & table 4, p 18)

STANDARD SPECIES: Crustaceans (daphnids)
Test substance	Test organism	Test medium	Test conditions	Nominal / Measured	Duration	Endpoints	NOEC [mg/L]	LOEC [mg/L]	L(E)C50 [mg/L]	Reference	Reliability
FeSO4	Daphnia magna	Standard reference water	pH: 7.6	N	24 h	Immobility			5.25	Lilius et al. 1995	R1
	Daphnia pulex								36.9
FeCl3.6H2O	Daphnia pulex	Reconstituted ASTM water	pH: 6.1; T: 20; H: 96; Alk: 28	N	48 h	immobility			12.9 (measured)	Birge et al. 1985	R1
FeCl3.6H2O	Daphnia magna	Lake Superior water	pH: 7.7; T: 18 (room T); static	To	48 h	immobility			EC50: 9.6	Biesinger & Christensen 1972	R1
FeSO4.7H2O	Daphnia magna	Reconstituted water	pH: 6.09-6.44; T: 21.6-22	TD	48 h	Immobility			EC50: 1.29	LISEC study no. WE -01-225. Draft report	R1
FeSO4	Daphnia magna	Reconstituted water	SOP	N	24 h	Immobility			17	Calleja et al. 1994	R1
FeSO4.7H2O	Daphnia magna	Filtered, aerated tubewell water	pH: 7.6; T: 13; H: 240; Alk: 400	N	48 h	Immobility			7.2	Khangarot & Ray 1989	R2
FeCl3	Daphnia magna	Lake Eria water	pH: 8.2-8.4	N	64 h	Immobility			‘threshold’ < 6.1	Anderson 1950	R3
NON-STANDARD SPECIES
Fe2(SO4)3	Daphnia longispina	Not reported	not reported	N	48 h	Immobility			EC50:11.5	Randall et al. 1999	R1
FeSO4	Streptocephalus probiscideus	Reconstituted water	SOP but pH: 5.5	N	24 h	Immobility			79	Calleja et al. 1994	R1
FeSO4	Brachionus calyciflorus, Rotifer	ASTM E1440-91	SOP	N	24 h	Survival			12	Calleja et al. 1994	R1
FeSO4.7H2O	Leptophlebia marginata, Insect	Water from small stream	pH: 4.5	To, T2	120 h	Mortality	50	100	65.3	Gerhardt A. 1994	R2
						Escape behavior	50	100	40.2
			pH: 7			Survival	50	100	106.3
						Escape behavior	10	50	70.0
FeCl3.6H2O	Lirceus fontinalis, (Isopod)	Reconstituted ASTM water	pH: 4.9; T: 21 H: 116; Alk: 23	To	96 h	Survival			80.5 (measured)	Birge et al. 1985	R1
FeCl3.6H2O	Asellus aquaticus, (Isopod)	Nothingham tapwater	pH: 7.8; H: 148; Alk: 70; T: 13	N	96 h	Survival			124	Martin & Holdich 1986	R2
FeCl3.6H2O	Crangonyx pseudogracilis, (Amphipod)	Nothingham tapwater	pH: 7.8; H: 148; Alk: 70; T: 13	N	96 h	Survival			120	Martin & Holdich 1986	R2
FeSO4.7H2O	Crangonyx pseudogracilis, (Amphipod)	Nothingham tapwater	pH: 7.8; H: 148; Alk: 70; T: 13	N	96 h	Survival			95	Martin & Holdich 1986	R2

Alk: alkalinity [mg/L CaCO3]

H: hardness [mg/L CaCO3]

MST: median survival time

N: Nominal concentration

R1, R2: Reliable without restriction according to the scheme of the authors (set out in chapter 3.2, p 6, of their publication), corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above.

R3: Not reliable according to the authors (set out in chapter 3.2 of their publication)

T: temperature [°C]

T2: total Fe(II) ion measured

TD: dissolved total Fe measured

To: total Fe measured

Table: Additional data according to Johnson et al. (2007, table 2.7, p 24)

Scientific name	Common name	Endpoint	Effect	Test duration [h]	Concentration [mg/L] #	Exposure	Toxicant analysis	Comments (Author's Reliability)	Reference
Brachionus calyciflorus	Rotifer	LC50	Mortality	24	35	s	n	As FeCl3 (R3)	Calleja et al. 1994
Ephemerella subvaria	Mayfly	LC50	Mortality	96	0.32	s	n	As FeSO4; pH 7.25 (R3)	Warnick & Bell 1969
Leptophlebia marginata	Mayfly (larvae)	LC50	Mortality	96	90	ss	y	As FeSO4; pH 4.5 (R2)	Gerhardt 1992
Leptophlebia marginata	Mayfly (larvae)	LC50	Mortality	96	106	ss	y	As FeSO4; pH 6.5 (R2)	Gerhardt 1992

# Concentration related to iron if not stated otherwise under comments (third-to-last column)

R2: Reliable with restrictions according to the authors (set out in Annex 1, p 56 of their publication), corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above.

R3: Not reliable according to the authors (set out in Annex 1, p 56 of their publication)

Exposure: s = static; ss = semi-static

Toxicant analysis: y = measured; n = not measured.

Table: Additional data from the OECD (2007) assessment (table 24, p 67 -68

Test substance	Test organism	Test duration	Effect	Endpoint [mg Fe/L]	Reference	Author’s Reliability
NON- STANDARD SPECIES
FeSO4	Acroneuria lycorias, Stonefly	9 days	Survival (pH 7.3-8.2)	LT50 at: 16 (n.t)	Warnick & Bell 1969	R2
FeSO4	Hydropsyche betteni, Caddisfly	7 days	Survival (pH 7.3-8.2)	LT50 at: 16 (n.t)	Warnick & Bell 1969	R2
FeSO4.7H2O	Leptophlebia marginata, Mayfly	120 h	Survival at pH 7.0	110 (n.t)	Gerhardt 1994	R1
			Survival at pH 4.5	65 (n.t)
			Escape at pH 7.0	70 (n.t)
			Escape at pH 4.5	40 (n.t)
FeSO4.7H2O	Brachionus calyciflorus, Rotifer	24 h	Survival	12 (n.t)	Calleja et al. 1994	R2

LT50: 50 % survival time

m.t = measured total Fe

n.t. = nominal total Fe

R1, R2 = Rating by the authors (OECD 2007) referring to the Klimisch et al. (1997) scale, corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above.

Saltwater species:

Table: Data from the EURAS critical review (Vangheluwe & Versonnen 2004, table 3, p 14)

Test substance	Test organism	Test medium	Test conditions	Nominal / Measured	Duration	Endpoints	NOEC [mg/L]	LOEC [mg/L]	L(E)C50 [mg/L]
FeSO4	Artemia salina	Reconstituted seawater	SOP	N	24 h	Survival	10	Calleja et al. 1994	R1

N: Nominal concentration

R1: Reliable without restriction according to the scheme of the authors (set out in chapter 3.2 of their publication), corrected to Klimisch 3 “not reliable” as discussed above

SOP: toxkit standard operation procedure

Johnson et al. (2007, table 2.9, p 29) list some more data on marine crustaceans, but the authors considered them unreliable.

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