Zinc sulphate

Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

Freshwater:

In total, reliable chronic toxicity data were retrieved for 22 different freshwater invertebrates. Non-normalised geomean species NOECs ranged between 14 (Cucumerunio novaehollandiae) and 718 (Ephoron virgo) µg Zn/L (dissolved concentrations).

 

 Chronic toxicity data for 6 crustaceans were gathered, i.e., the copepod Bryocamptus zschokkei, the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the cladocerans Daphnia magna, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia longispina and Daphnia lumholtzi. For these crustaceans the chronic non-normalised toxicity values varied between 13 µg Zn/L (Ceriodaphnia dubia; 7 d of exposure; endpoint reproduction) and 1587 µg Zn/L (Daphnia longispina; 21 d of exposure; endpoint mortality). One chronic toxicity data was available for insects, with a NOEC of 718 µg Zn/L for the mayfly Ephoron virgo. Chronic toxicity data for 11 molluscs were gathered, i.e., the bivalves Alathyria profuga, Cucumerunio novaehollandiae, Dreissenia polymorpha, Echyridella menziesii, Hyridella australis, Hyridella depressa, Hyridella drapeta, Lampsilis siliquoidea, Velesunio ambiguous and for the gastropods Lymnaea stagnalis and Potamopyrgus jenkinsi. For these bivalves the chronic non-normalised toxicity values varied between 13.9 µg Zn/L (Cucumerunio novaehollandiae; 72 h of exposure; endpoint mortality) and 1629 µg Zn/L (Lymnaea stagnalis; 28 days of exposure; endpoint growth). Chronic toxicity data for 4 different rotifers i.e., Anuraeopsis fissa, Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus rubens and Euchlanis dilatata were found. For these rotifers the chronic non-normalised toxicity values varied between 26.1 µg Zn/L (Anuraeopsis fissa; 25 d of exposure; endpoint life span) and 550 µg Zn/L (Brachionus calyciflorus; 48 h of exposure; endpoint growth rate).  

 

Marine:
Reliable chronic toxicity data were retrieved for 24 different marine invertebrates. Geomean species NOECs ranged between 4.2 (Haliotis iris) and 2074 (Gaimardia trapesina) µg Zn/L (dissolved concentrations).

 

Chronic toxicity data to marine crustaceans were available for 9 different species, i.e., Allorchestes compress, Harpacticus sp., Holmesimysis costata, Hyale longicornis, Melita awa, Melita matilda, Mysidopsis juniae, Penaeus monodon and Tigriopus angulatus. Toxicity values for the crustaceans varied between 7.1 µg Zn/L (24 d of exposure; endpoint mortality) for Holmesimysis costata and 1757 µg Zn/L (10 d of exposure; endpoint mortality) for Tigriopus angulatus. Chronic toxicity data to marine molluscs were available for 7 different species, i.e., Crassostrea gigas, Gaimardia trapesina, Haliotis diversicolor supertexta, Haliotis iris, Haliotis rufescens, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mytilus trossolus. Toxicity values for the molluscs varied between 4.2 µg Zn/L (72 h of exposure; endpoint development) for Haliotis iris and 2344 µg Zn/L (10 d of exposure; endpoint mortality) for Gaimardia trapesina. Chronic toxicity data to marine echinoderms were available for 3 different species, i.e., Apostichopus japonicus, Evechinus chloroticus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Toxicity values for the echinoderms varied between 9.7 µg Zn/L (72 h of exposure; endpoint development) for Evechinus chloroticus and 444 µg Zn/L (15 d of exposure; endpoint mortality) for Apostichopus japonicus. Chronic toxicity data to marine annelids were available for 4 different species, i.e., Capitella capitella, Galeolaria caespitosa, Hydroides elegans and Neanthes arenaceaodentata. Toxicity values for the annelids varied between 23.2 µg Zn/L (96 of exposure; endpoint development) for Hydroides elegans and 200 µg Zn/L (2.5 h of exposure; endpoint fertilization) for Galeolaria caespitosa. Chronic toxicity data is available for 1 cephalopod species (i.e., Sepia officinalis, with a 5 weeks NOEC of 53 µg Zn/L for the endpoint growth).

Additional information

Extensive high quality chronic data were available on 22 different freshwater invertebrate species and 24 marine invertebrate species. These data were all screened for relevancy to the environment under study.

 

The freshwater species are part of several different taxonomic groups: Cladocera (Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna, Daphnia longispina, Daphnia lumholtzi), Amphipoda (Hyalella azteca), Copepoda (Bryocamptus zschokkei), Ephemeroptera (Ephoron virgo), Rotifera (Brachionus calyciflorus, Anuraeopsis fissa, Brachionus rubens, Euchlanis dilatate), Bivalvia (Alathyria profuga, Cucumerunio novaehollandiae, Dreissenia polymorpha, Echyridella menziesii, Hyridella australis, Hyridella depressa, Hyridella drapeta, Lampsilis siliquoidea, Velesunio ambiguous), Gastropoda (Lymnaea stagnalis, Potamopyrgus jenkinsi). The sensitivity of these species is equally distributed over the species sensitivity distribution.

 

The marine species are part of several different taxonomic groups: Amphipoda (Allorchestes compress, Melita awa, Melita matilda and Hyale longicornis), Copepoda (Harpacticus sp. and Tigriopus angulatus), Mysida (Holmesimysis costata and Mysidopsis juniae), Decapoda (Penaeus monodon), Bivalvia (Crassostrea gigas, Gaimardia trapesina, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mytilus trossolus), Gastropoda (Haliotis diversicolor supertexta, Haliotis iris and Haliotis rufescens), Cephalopoda (Sepia officinalis), Holothuroidea (Apostichopus japonicus), Echinacea (Evechinus chloroticus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) and Polychaeta (Capitella capitella, Galeolaria caespitosa, Hydroides elegans and Neanthes arenaceaodentata).The sensitivity of these species is equally distributed over the species sensitivity distribution.

 

The invertebrate species NOECs are combined with the other freshwater and marine chronic data in the respective SSDs to give the HC5 from which the respective PNECs are derived.