Cadmium sulphide

Sediment toxicity

Description of key information

Freshwater: chronic sediment data are available for one species of benthic nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) with a reported NOEC growth of 1225 mg/kg d.w. (geometric mean of three NOECs from same study). The test was performed in unpolluted sediment with a background cadmium concentration of <1 mg/kg d.w. In addition, an in-situ recolonization study is also available for freshwater systems with a NOEC abundance reported of 115 mg/kg d.w. The test was performed in unpolluted sediment with a background cadmium concentration of 2.8 mg/kg d.w. 
Marine water: chronic sediment data are available for one species of benthic marine crustacean (Leptocheirus plumulosus) with a reported NOEC growth, survival and reproduction of 1370 mg/kg d.w. The test was performed in unpolluted sediment with a background cadmium concentration of <0.001 mg/kg d.w. In addition, a field colonization study is also available for marine systems with a reported NOEC abundance and taxa richeness of 169 mg added Cd/kg d.w. 

Additional information

Freshwater PNEC_sediment: Conclusion

The assessment of the freshwater PNEC_sedimentfor cadmium identified only two long-term ecotoxicity studies from the scientific literature. However, both the “Added” EqP (using partitioning coefficients and a robust aquatic toxicity database from the Cd RAR) and AF (using the lowest NOEC from a field colonization study) approaches produced consistent derivations for the freshwater benthic compartment. The resulting value is considered protective for EU freshwater ecosystems: freshwaterPNEC_{add, sediment} of 1.80 mg/kg d.w. (equivalent to 0.40 mg/kg w.w.). It is emphasized that this is an added PNEC, i.e. natural background needs to be taken into account when characterising the risk from monitored data.

 

Marine PNEC_sediment: Conclusion

The assessment of the marinePNEC_sedimentfor cadmium identified only two long-term ecotoxicity studies from the scientific literature. However, an “Added” EqP (using partitioning coefficients and a robust aquatic toxicity database) approach provided a reliable derivation for the marine benthic compartment. The resulting value is considered protective for EU marine ecosystems:marinePNEC_{sediment, added}of 0.64 mg/kg d.w. (equivalent to 0.14 mg/kg w.w.). It is emphasised that this is an added PNEC, i.e. natural Bg needs to be taken into account when characterising the risk from monitored data.