Biphenyl-2-ol

Long-term toxicity to fish

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

adult fish: sub(lethal) effects

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: GLP guideline study

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

other: Method described by Harries et al. (2000): "Development of a reproductive performance Test for endocrine-disrupting chemicals using pair-breeding Fathead minnows. Environmental Science and Technology 34, 3003-3011.

Principles of method if other than guideline:

This publication is a discussion document for a future OECD guideline.

GLP compliance:

yes (incl. QA statement)

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Details on sampling:

- Concentrations: control, 1, 5, 50, 500 µg/L
- Sampling time: day -1, 0, 1, 2, 8, 15, 16, 22 and 23

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF TEST SOLUTION
- Method: A 300 mg/L stock solution was prepared by dissolving 1.8 g test substances in 6 L of dechlorinated water. The concentrate was stirred overnight to provide a clear and colourless solution. A series of stock solutions was prepared by addition of the required volume of stock concentrate to 10 L glass jars.

Test organisms (species):

Pimephales promelas

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: fathead minnow
- Source: brood stock held at Brixham Environmental Laboratory
- Length at study initiation:
- 62.8 -64.5 (male)
- 48.0 - 51.3 (female)

HOLDING CONDITIONS
- Holding period: 6 month
- Holding conditions: same as test, except that water was only filtered through a 10 µm filter before use
- Holding temperature: 25 ± 1 °C
- Type and amount of food: high protein pelleted fish food, supplemented with frozen brine shrimp
- Feeding frequency: daily
- Mortality: none within seven days prior test start

ACCLIMATION
- Acclimation period: 11 days
- Acclimation conditions: same as test

Test type:

flow-through

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

21 d

Hardness:

40.0 - 49.7 mg/L as CaCO3

Test temperature:

24.7 - 25.5 °C

pH:

7.3 -7.8

Dissolved oxygen:

6.4 - 8.8 mg/L

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Nominal test concentrations: control, 1, 5, 50, 500 µg a.i./L

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel:
- Type: open
- Material, nominal volume, fill volume: glass vessels, 12 L, 9.5 L
- Type of flow-through: peristaltic diluter
- No. of organisms per vessel: pair of fish (1 male and 1 female)
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 8 (6 adult and 2 progeny tanks)
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 8 (6 adult and 2 progeny tanks)

TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- Source/preparation of dilution water: Dechlorinated tap water resevoir with an average retention time of 24 h. Passed through activated carbon, coarsly filtered to remove particulate material, dechlorinated with sodium thiosulphate and salts added, as required, to maintain minimum hardness levels. The treated water was held in a secondary resevoir with a capacity of 36 m³ and an average retention time of 8 h. The water was passed through an ultra violet steriliser to a second set of filters (25 and 10 µm mesh size) and then to a third storage tank with a capacity of 13.5 m³.
- Total organic carbon: 21.8 mg/L
- Alkalinity: 28.7 mg/L as CaCO3
- Ca/mg ratio: 12/3.2 mg/L
- Conductivity: 244 µS/cm
- Intervals of water quality measurement: Dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature measurements once per week in all test vessels; temperature measurements twice weekly

OTHER TEST CONDITIONS
- Photoperiod: 16 h light and 8 h dark, with a 10 min. dawn/dusk transition period
- Light intensity: 320-460 lx

EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED: fecundity (number of spawnings, total number of eggs spawned, number of eggs per spawning (egg batch size) and percent hatchability of eggs determination of plasma vittelogenin, (VTG), gonadosomatic index (GSI), histopathology

Reference substance (positive control):

yes

Remarks:

17α-ethynylestradiol

Duration:

21 d

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

0.036 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

act. ingr.

Basis for effect:

reproduction

Duration:

21 d

Dose descriptor:

LOEC

Effect conc.:

0.293 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (arithm. mean)

Conc. based on:

act. ingr.

Basis for effect:

reproduction

Biological parameter	Effect concentration (µg a.i./L)
	Nominal		Mean measured
	NOEC	LOEC	NOEC	LOEC
F0 Number of spawnings	50	500	36	293
F0 Egg production	50	500	36	293
F0 Egg batch size	50	500	36	293
F0 GSI (male)	500	>500	293	>293
F0 GSI (female)	500	>500	293	>293
F0 Vitellogenin (male)	500	>500	293	>293
F0 Vitellogenin (male)	500	>500	293	>293
F1 Egg hatch	50	500	36	293

Description of key information

Overall NOEC (21 d) for Pimephales promelas = 0.036 mg a.i./L (measured)

Additional information

The prolonged toxicity of OPP (CAS-No. 90-43-7) to fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) was tested in a reproductive performance test by Caunter & Williams (2002). The test was carried out based on the method described by Harries et al. (2000). This publication is a discussion document for a future OECD Guideline.

In the test chemical exposures were conducted for 21 days, while measures of fecundity were assessed daily. Viability of resultant embryos was assessed in animals held in the same treatment regime to which the adults were exposed. A suite of histological and biological endpoints, that potentially are directly reflective of effects associated with endocrine disrupting chemicals, was also evaluated.

The results of the study show that OPP does not indicate any adverse effects on reproductive parameters of pair-breeding fathead minnows up to a nominal test concentration of 50 µg a.i./L. With regard to the induction of the biomarker vitellogenin as an early indicator of possible endocrine modulation, no substance-related effects were noted compared to the positive control 17α-ethynylestradiol.

Based on mean measured concentration the overall NOEC (21 d) was determined as 0.036 mg a.i./L and the overall LOEC (21 d) as 0.293 mg a.i./L.