Slimes and Sludges, blast furnace and steelmaking

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

25.1.2010-4.2.2010

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: GLP gudeline study

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

EU Method C.2 (Acute Toxicity for Daphnia)

Deviations:

yes

Remarks:

see Overall remarks

GLP compliance:

yes

Analytical monitoring:

no

Vehicle:

no

Test organisms (species):

Daphnia magna

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: Daphnia magna
- Strain: Straus
- Source: Research Institute for Organic Synthesis, CETA Laboratory
- Age at study initiation (mean and range, SD):lLess than 24 hours old at the beginning of the test
- Method of breeding: aperiodic parthenogenesis
- Feeding during test
- Food type: fed by a mixture of algae

Test type:

static

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

yes

Total exposure duration:

48 h

Test temperature:

20±2°C, with a variation of ±1°C at each individual test, see table 1

pH:

7.7-8.5, see table 1

Dissolved oxygen:

6.7-9.7, see table 1

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel:
- Type: open
- Aeration: without
- No. of organisms per vessel: 10
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 2
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 1


TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- Source/preparation of dilution water:
solution A: 117.6 g CaCl2 . 2H2O in 1 l of deionized water
solution B: 49.3 g MgSO4 . 7H2O in 1 l of deionized water
solution C: 25.9 g NaHCO3 in 1 l of deionized water
solution D: 2.3 g KCl in 1 l of deionized water
Standard dilution water was prepared just before the test by admixing 2.5 ml of stored solutions A, B, C and D into 1000 ml of deionized water.


OTHER TEST CONDITIONS
- Adjustment of pH: no
- Photoperiod: natural variation of daily light and dark


TEST CONCENTRATIONS
- Spacing factor for test concentrations: 1.1 in limit test
- Justification for using less concentrations than requested by guideline: As the test substance is multi-component poorly soluble substance, the water accommodated fractions (WAF) method were used for preliminary and limit test.
- Range finding study
- Test concentrations: 100, 60, 40, 20 and 10 mg/l

Reference substance (positive control):

yes

Remarks:

potassium dichromate

Duration:

24 h

Dose descriptor:

EL50

Effect conc.:

> 100 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat. (dissolved fraction)

Basis for effect:

mobility

Key result

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EL50

Effect conc.:

> 100 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat. (dissolved fraction)

Basis for effect:

mobility

Duration:

24 h

Dose descriptor:

NOELR

Effect conc.:

100 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat. (dissolved fraction)

Basis for effect:

mobility

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

NOELR

Effect conc.:

100 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat. (dissolved fraction)

Basis for effect:

mobility

Duration:

24 h

Dose descriptor:

EL100

Effect conc.:

> 100 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat. (dissolved fraction)

Basis for effect:

mobility

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EL100

Effect conc.:

> 100 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat. (dissolved fraction)

Basis for effect:

mobility

Results with reference substance (positive control):

- Results with reference substance:
- EC50: 24 h EC50 = 1,93 mg/l (95% confidence limit: 1.84 - 2.01 mg/l)
48 h EC50 = 0.98 mg/l (95% confidence limit: 0.74 - 1.23 mg/l)

Table 1: Details of preliminary and limit tests

preliminary test
loading rate (mg/l)		100	60	40	20	10	control	-
pH	0 h	6.7	7.9	7.2	7.9	6.7	9.7	-
	48 h	8.7	8.6	8.7	8.7	8.8	8.8	-
O2 (mg/l)	0h	8.1	8.1	8.0	7.9	7.9	7.9	-
	48 h	7.9	7.9	7.9	7.8	7.9	7.8	-
t (°C)	0 h	19.7						-
	48 h	19.7						-
limit test
loading rate (mg/l)		100	91	83	75	68	62	control
pH	0 h	8.4	7.6	7.9	7.7	7.3	7.6	9.3
	48 h	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.7	8.8	8.5	8.7
O2 (mg/l)	0h	8.3	8.3	8.3	8.5	8.4	8.5	8.0
	48 h	7.9	7.9	7.9	7.9	7.8	7.8	7.7
t (°C)	0 h	20.1
	48 h	20.4

Table 2: Preliminary test

loading rate (mg/l)	-	-	100	60	40	20	10	control
number of mobile animals	24 h	1st serie	10	10	10	10	10	10
		2nd serie	10	10	10	10	10	10
		total	20	20	20	20	20	20
immobilisation (%)		-	0	0	0	0	0	0
number of mobile animals	48 h	1st serie	10	10	10	10	10	10
		2nd serie	10	10	10	10	10	10
		total	20	20	20	20	20	20
immobilisation (%)		-	0	0	0	0	0	0

Table 3: Limit test

loading rate (mg/l)	-	-	100	91	83	75	68	62	control
number of mobile animals	24 h	1st serie	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
		2nd serie	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
		total	20	20	20	20	20	20	20
immobilisation (%)		-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
number of mobile animals	48 h	1st serie	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
		2nd serie	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
		total	20	20	20	20	20	20	20
immobilisation (%)		-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Remarks:

Point 5 (test substance concentration shall be maintained to within 80 % of the initial concentration throughout the duration of the test) can not to be fulfilled-WAF method for preparation of the test solutions was used (see Overall remarks).

Conclusions:

No immobilisation was observed in the limit test. Therefore exact values of EL50 could not be calculated and are given in the form of a range. The NOELR and EL100 values are identified by direct observation. The loading rates of the test substance were used for all evaluations and results.
EL50 (24 h) > 100 mg/l
EL50 (48 h) > 100 mg/l
EL100 (24 h) > 100 mg/l
EL100 (48 h) > 100 mg/l
NOELR (24 h) = 100 mg/l
NOELR (48 h) = 100 mg/l
According to Commission Directive 93/21/EEC (Annex IV, article 5.2.1) the test substance (Slimes and Sludges, blast furnace and steelmaking) is not assigned to any of quoted toxicity categories.

Executive summary:

The test substance, Slimes and Sludges, blast furnace and steelmaking, was tested in acute immobilisation test onDaphnia magna.

The test was performed according to method C.2 – Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test, Council Regulation (EC) No. 440/2008, published in O.J.L 142, 2008.

Since the test substance is multi-component poorly soluble substance the water-accommodated fraction method (WAF) were used for preparation of the test solutions.

The preliminary test was performed in range of test substance loading rates 10 – 100 mg/l. Based on no toxicity of the test substance found in preliminary test, the limit test was performed. The limit test was performed in range of test substance loading rates
62 – 100 mg/l. The test was performed as static.

The study was performed without the analytical determination of the test substance concentrations. Only the concentrations of metals in the highest loading rate 100mg/l were analysed in the limit test. For all evaluations and results the loading rates of the test substance were used.

Test results:

24 hour–EL50 > 100 mg/l                                         (loading rate)

48 hour–EL50 > 100 mg/l                                         (loading rate)

24 hour–NOELR = 100mg/l         (loading rate)

48 hour–NOELR = 100mg/l         (loading rate)

24 hour–EL100 > 100 mg/l                                       (loading rate)

48 hour–EL100 > 100 mg/l                                       (loading rate)

Classification of the test substance on the basis of hazard to aquatic environment was performed according to the Directive 93/21/EEC, Annex IV (article 5.2.1.). According to the classification criteria given in quoted Directive the test substance, Slimes and Sludges, blast furnace and steelmaking, is not assigned to any of quoted toxicity categories.

Description of key information

The test was performed according to EU Method C.2 (Acute Toxicity for Daphnia).
The study was performed without the analytical determination of the test substance concentrations. Because the test substance is multi-component poorly soluble substance the water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) were prepared for preliminary and full test. 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

100 mg/L

Additional information

As the test substance was tested by using the water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) and nominal concentrations (loading rates) were used, EL parameters were used instead of EC values.

EL₅₀(48 h) > 100 mg/l.