Lysozyme (chicken egg white)

Short-term toxicity to fish

Description of key information

Expected non toxic to fish.

Additional information

No specific information exists on the short-term toxicity to fish of lysozyme.

However considering that Lysozyme is naturally occurring in many organisms, including aquatic organisms^[7] it is expected to be non-toxic for aquatic life.

Below are reported some data available in the HERA documentation on Cellulase, Lipase and Subtilisins (Protease) in order to support this consideration.

- Cellulase: Method ISO/DIS/7346, LC50 zebra fish at 96 -h > 1000 mg active enzyme protein (aep)/L ^{[1 -2]}

- Lipase: LC50 Cyprinus carpio at 96 -h > 1000 mg aep/L ^{[1 -2]}

- Savinase: according to the OECD 203, LC50 at 96 -h: 200-400 > 1000 mg/L (heat inactivated enzyme) (probably not based on aep) ^{[3 -4]}.

- Savinase, Maxatese P: LC50 on Poecilia reticulatus at 24 -h: 25 mg aep/L ^{[3 -5]}

- Maxatase P: LC50 on Oncorhynchus mykiss at 24 -h: 15 mg aep/L(young fish) and 5 mg aep/L (eggs and larvae) ^{[3 -5]}

- Maxatase P: LC50 on Rivulus cylindraceus at 24 -h: 1 mg aep/L ^{[3 -5]}

- Maxatase P: LC50 on Anguilla anguilla (eel) at 24 -h: 7.5 mg aep/L (sea water); 20 mg aep/L (brack water) and 30 mg aep/L (fresh water) ^{[3 -5]}

- Subtilisin: Coregonus lavaretus wartmanni LC50 at 96 -h: 350 mg/L (probably not based on aep) ^{[3 -6]}

- Subtilisin: Poecilia reticulata (Guppy) LC50 at 24 -h: 25 mg/L (probably not based on aep)^{[3 -6]}

The existing data on the acute toxicity to fish of enzymes reported values of the LC50 in a range between 1 - 1000 mg/L.

Nevertheless data by Mann (1971 ^[5]) and Schöberl and Huber (1988 ^[6]) are not conducted in compliance of the standard test methods, thus they were evaluated by HERA as not reliable and, hence, not suitable for the aquatic toxicity assessment.

Considering only reliable data, it can be concluded that enzymes in general are non-toxic for fish.

In conclusion, on the basis of the comparison with other enzymes, Lysozyme may be considered as non-toxic to fish. Since data available are not specific for Lysozyme, it is preferred to make a qualitative assessment.

Reference

[1] HERA Human and environmental risk assessment on ingredients of household cleaning products - alpha-amylases, cellulases and lipases. 2005.

[2] Greenough RJ, Everett DJ (1991) Safety evaluation of alkaline cellulase. Food and Chemical Toxicology 29: 781-785.

[3] HERA Human and environmental risk assessment on ingredients of household cleaning products - Subtilisins (Proteases). Edition 2.0. 2007.

[4] NICNAS (1993). Savinase™ - Proteolytic enzymes in detergents. Full Public Report. Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0 644 24554 9. *

[5] Mann H (1971) Untersuchungen über die Wirkung von Waschmittelenzymen auf Fische und andere Wasserorganismen. Archive der Fischerwissenschaft 22; 146-154.**

[6] Schöberl P and Huber L, (1988) Ökologisch relevante Daten von nichttensidischen Inhaltsstoffen in Wasch- und Reinigungsmitteln. Tenside Detergents 3/4: 86-107 **

[7] Oystein Lie, Oystein Evensen, Anita Sorensen, Ellen Froysadal. Study on lysozyme activity in some fish species. Dis. aquat. Org. 6: 1-5, 1989

*Reported as Klimisch 2 in the HERA document.

**Reported as Klimisch 4 in the HERA document.