Ashes (residues), plant

Toxicity to soil macroorganisms except arthropods

Administrative data

Endpoint:

toxicity to soil macroorganisms except arthropods: short-term

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study with acceptable restrictions

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

2009

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

ISO 11268-1 (Effects of Pollutants on Earthworms. 1. Determination of Acute Toxicity Using Artificial Soil Substrate)

Version / remarks:

1997

GLP compliance:

no

Remarks:

Test were performed to fulfill the requirements of 2000/532/EG and Dir 91/689/EEC, GLP was not required for that purpose

Test material

Test material information

1

Reference substance name:

Ashes (residues)

EC Number:

268-627-4

EC Name:

Ashes (residues)

Cas Number:

68131-74-8

Molecular formula:

Not available / UVCB substance

IUPAC Name:

FBC Ash (residues of coal combustion in fluidized bed combustion boilers)

Test material form:

solid: particulate/powder

Details on test material:

Wirbelschichtasche (WSA)

Specific details on test material used for the study:

mg/kg (in solid FBC ash samples)
Arsenic (As) 10.8
Cadmium, Cd 0.93
Cobalt (Co) 8.17
Chromium (Cr) 47.4
Copper (Cu) 140
Molybdenum (Mo) 16.7
Nickel (Ni) 27.3
Lead (Pb) 65.5
Antimony (Sb) 9.34
Selenium (Se) 5.76
Vanadium (V) 104
Zinc (Zn) 415

Sampling and analysis

Analytical monitoring:

no

Test substrate

Vehicle:

no

Test organisms

Test organisms (species):

Eisenia fetida

Animal group:

annelids

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: earthworm
- Source: own laboratory culture (ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Flörsheim am Main, Germany)
- Age at test initiation (mean and range, SD): adult animals with a fully developed clitellum
- Weight at test initiation (mean and range, SD): 300 - 600 mg per animal

Study design

Study type:

laboratory study

Substrate type:

artificial soil

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

14 d

Test conditions

Test temperature:

18-22°C

pH:

5,5 – 6,5
The pH value and the moisture content were determined in all test level and the control

Moisture:

40 – 60 % WHKmax (of the maximum water holding capacity of the tested soil)

Details on test conditions:

Light intensity 400 to 800 lux; day/night cycle of 16 h:8 h

TEST SYSTEM
- Test container (material, size): glass vessels with glass lids of volume: 1.5 L WECK®
- Amount of soil or substrate: 500 g dry weight
- No. of organisms per container (treatment): 10 adults
- No. of replicates per treatment group: 4
- No. of replicates per control: 4


SOURCE AND PROPERTIES OF SUBSTRATE (if soil)
- Artificial soil: according to OECD requirements


EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED (with observation intervals if applicable): observation after 7 and 14 days
- number of animals alive/dead
- fresh weight per animal alive
- morphological and behavioral abnormalities

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Based on the results of this preliminary test, a full dose-response test was carried out in the second step, i.e. an OECD artificial soil (control) and five dilution levels were used.

Reference substance (positive control):

yes

Remarks:

chloroacetamide (analytically pure; Merck GmbH)

Results and discussion

Effect concentrations

Effect concentrations 1

Duration:

14 d

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

66.7 - 142.9 other: g/kg soil d. w.

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality

Remarks:

dillution G16-G8 (see table 1)

Effect concentrations 2

Duration:

14 d

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

ca. 66.7 other: g/kg soil d. w.

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mortality

Results with reference substance (positive control):

Valid reference test with chloroacetamide (analytically pure; Merck GmbH)
LC50 = 29.2 mg/kg soil
(The LC50 of 29.2 mg/kg meets the requirements of ISO guideline 11268-1: LC50 should be between 20 and 80 mg/kg)

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Conclusions:

No mortality after an exposure period of 14 days of test organism (E. fetida) was observed at a test substance concentration of 66.7 g/kg soil dry weight (NOEC).
The LC50 value was not calculated and was estimated to be between 66.7 g/kg dw and 142.9 g/kg dw. At a concentration of 142.9 g/kg soil d.w. all animals were dead.

Executive summary:

The toxicity of Ashes from fluidized bed combustion coal fired power stations with and without co-combustion of secondary fuels (FBC Ash) to earthworm was assessed by Römbke (2008) according to the ISO guideline 11268-1 (Effects of Pollutants on Earthworms. 1, Determination of Acute Toxicity Using Artificial Soil Substrate, 1997).

During an exposure period of 14 days the earthworm species Eisenia fetida was exposed to different concentrations of FBC ash in soil, ranging from an ash to soil ratio of 1/32 (3.1% ash, 96.9% soil) up to a substrate consisting of 1/2 (50% ash, 50% soil). The test was conducted in covered glass vessels containing 500 g of substrate and 10 adult earthworms per concentration. After 7 days as well as at the end of the experiment on day 14 the number of earthworms alive and their weight was determined.