Zinc dodecyl hydrogen disulphate

Bioaccumulation: aquatic / sediment

Description of key information

Bioaccumulation testing with C12-14 AS Zn in aquatic species is not required since the substance C12-14 AS Zn has a log Pow value below 3 and therefore a potential for bioaccumulation is low. Zn itsself is an essential metal and organisms are able to actively regulate the concentrations of Zn in their bodies.

Additional information

Bioaccumulation testing with C12-14 AS Zn in aquatic species is not required since the substance C12-14 AS Zn has a log Pow value below 3 and therefore a potential for bioaccumulation is low. In general, alkyl sulfates have very low potential to bioaccumlate (OECD SIDS, 2007; HERA, 2002). Nevertheless, since the substance C12-14 AS Zn contains max. 12% of Zn in the molecule, the effects of Zn as discussed below.

Zinc is an essential metal and occurs also naturally in the environment. The natural concentrations of zinc are highly variable and depend on several factors. Chemical and biological processes will affect the speciation of zinc in the environment. For the aquatic environment bioavailability of zinc is affected by many factors like pH, water hardness, dissolved organic carbon, competing ions, soluble ligands and binding sites on solid phases (OECD SIDS, 2005; WHO,1996).

The bioaccumulation potential of zinc in organisms is in general low due to homeostasis as the aquatic organisms are able to regulate effectively the levels of zinc in their bodies. In experimental work, higher BCF factors are normally observed at the lowest zinc exposure levels. This is caused by the fact that organisms concentrate zinc to satisfy internal physiological needs for the essential element. For the same reason of homeostasis, the BCF will strongly decrease when exposure concentrations increase. This results in a general negative relationship between BCF and exposure (McGeer et al 2003). Bioaccumulation and secondary poisoning should be therefore considered less relevant (EPA, 1987; OECD SIDS, 2005; WHO,1996). Zinc generally does not biomagnify in food chains consisting of primary producers, macro invertebrate consumers and fish occupying third or higher trophic level. However, bio magnification of Zn is possible if dietary Zn concentrations are below those required for metabolism (Cardwell, 2013).

References: 

Cardwell R.D. et al. 2013. Do Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn Biomagnify in Aquatic Ecosystems? Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 226, 101-122.

EPA, Larson L and Hyland J., 1987 Ambient aquatic life water quality criteria document for zinc.

McGeer J, Brix KV, Skeaff JM, De Forest DK, Bingham SI, Adams WJ and Green A (2003). Inverse relationship between bioconcentration factors and exposure concentration of metals: implications for hazard assessment of metals in the aquatic environment. Env. Tox. & Chem. 22, nr 5, 1017-1037.

HERA, 2002, Alkyl Sulfates, Environmental Risk Assessment

OECD, 2005 SIDS Initial Assessment Profile, SIAM 21

OECD, 2007, SIDS Initial Assessment Report, SIAM 25

WHO, 1996. Environmental Health Criteria for Zinc, Draft, summary, evaluation, conclusions and recommendations of the IPCS task group. Final report published in 2001 (Environmental Health Criteria Series 221: Zinc, International Programme on Chemical Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva)