Potassium benzoate

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

read-across based on grouping of substances (category approach)

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

48 hours

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

study well documented, meets generally accepted scientific principles, acceptable for assessment

Justification for type of information:

As with all salts, the significance for toxicity or environmental assessment is the presence of specific ions that will form when in solution or when in biological systems. In the case of metal salts of organic acids, the cation is generally critical to determine the solubility in biological or environmental media and if the key physico-chemical properties are equivalent, the potential for hazard and environmental fate will be equivalent.

Qualifier:

equivalent or similar to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 202 (Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test)

Version / remarks:

Continued over 96 hours

Principles of method if other than guideline:

96 hour LC50 values on a number of species

GLP compliance:

no

Specific details on test material used for the study:

Not specified

Analytical monitoring:

not specified

Vehicle:

no

Test organisms (species):

Daphnia magna

Details on test organisms:

All test organismswere acclimated to the control diluent and food was witheld for 24h prior to the start of the test. Juveniles of each species were used for the test (10 per species per treatment). Biological loading was kept below 0.5g wet weight per litre test solution.

Test type:

static

Water media type:

freshwater

Remarks:

Lake Ontario- fully characterised media

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

96 h

Remarks on exposure duration:

Considered valid for classification and to establish read-across potential

Hardness:

130 mg/L

Test temperature:

20 C

pH:

6.5 - 8.0
Media : 7.4

Dissolved oxygen:

If the dissolved oxygen concentration in a test chamber fell below 40% of the starting level in a test, the test was repeated with 0.05 L/min glass-sparger aeration.

Conductivity:

260 umhos/cm

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Key result

Duration:

96 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

> 100 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mobility

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not specified

Conclusions:

Considered valid for classification and to establish read-across potential

Executive summary:

This study is cited in UN Concise International Chemical Assessment Document 26 on Sodium Benzoate and other references confirm low toxicity to Daphnia and other invertebrates

Description of key information

Reported EC50 > 100 mg/l for Sodium benzoate

Reported EC50 > 100 mg/l for Benzoic acid

The read-across document for ecotoxicity is integral to the endpoint, as is the overall read-across justification document.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

100 mg/L

Additional information

Both values are cited in the respective REACh Registration dossiers. In addition, a publication is available for Sodium benzoate.