Peracetic acid

Short-term toxicity to fish

Description of key information

Freshwater:
LC50 = 0.53 (OECD 203; Oncorhynchus mykiss; 5% peracetic acid)
LC50 = 1.1 mg/L (EPA OPP 72-1; Lepomis macrochirus; 5% peracetic acid)

Marine water:
LC50 = 11 mg/L (Pleuronectes platessa; 12% peracetic acid)

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Effect concentration:

0.53 mg/L

Marine water fish

Marine water fish

Effect concentration:

11 mg/L

Additional information

Four acute studies with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) have been reported. The studies were conducted at temperatures of 12-14°C. Only during the study of Douglas et al. (1986a) the test solutions were renewed daily. Gardner et al. (1996a) made analytical measurements of hydrogen peroxide in the test solutions. Between the start (0-hour) and the end of the test (96-hour) the decrease in the concentration ranged between 14 and 26%. The LC50 values of these toxicity tests show a good reproducibility and ranged between 0.5 and 2 mg peracetic acid/L.

 

The study conducted by L'Haridon (2003) was consequently selected as key study because it revealed the lowest LC50 value (0.53 mg/L based on peracetic acid) for that species when tested in a semi-static test according OECD 203.

 

Three acute studies with the warm-water bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) have been performed (McAllister et al., 1983; Terrell, 1987a; Gardner and Bucksath, 1996b), where the LC50 values were between 1.1 and 3.3 mg peracetic acid/L. During the first two studies the test solutions were not renewed and chemical analysis was not conducted. However, in a study of Gardner et al. (1996b) test solutions were renewed daily and analytical measurements were performed. The observed mean decrease in hydrogen peroxide concentration over a 24-hour period was 12% and the decrease ranged between 0 and 36%. As it revealed the lowest LC50 value of 1.1 mg/L based on peracetic acid, this study is selected as key study for the warm-water species.

 

Besides this, a number of supporting studies are available. A semi-static acute toxicity test was conducted with Superoxid 15 (15 % peracetic acid) and zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio) at test substance concentrations of 0, 1.0, 1.8, 3.2, 5.6, 10 and 18 mg/l (Adema, 1988a). The fish were exposed for 96 hours and the test solutions were renewed daily. No analytical measurements were performed. Another semi-static acute toxicity test was conducted with distilled peracetic acid (18%) and zebra fish at test concentrations of 0, 1.0 and 10 mg peracetic acid/l (Bazzon et al., 1997). The zebra fish were exposed for 96 hours and they were transferred to fresh solutions each 4-hour period. The peracetic acid concentrations were measured before and after each renewal. In this case the mean decrease in peracetic acid concentration in the 4-hour period was 7.5%. The LC50 in both tests mentioned above were 1.08 and 1.0 mg peracetic acid/L.

 

In addition to the reported freshwater studies, one study has been done with a salt water fish species (Tinsley and Sims, 1987). A 96-hour acute toxicity study with plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) revealed an LC50 of 11 mg peracetic acid/L.

 

Overall, the lowest LC50 for short-term toxicity to fish was found to be 0.53 mg/L for freshwater and 11 mg/L for marine water species, respectively.