Custom Red #2

Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria

Administrative data

Endpoint:

toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

07-apr-2009 to 10-apr-2009

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: The study has been performed according to OECD and/or EC guidelines and according to GLP principles.

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

2009

Report date:

2011

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Test guideline 1

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 201 (Alga, Growth Inhibition Test)

Deviations:

yes

Test guideline 2

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

ISO 8692 (Water Quality - Fresh Water Algal Growth Inhibition Test with Scenedesmus subspicatus and Selenastrum capricornutum)

Deviations:

no

Test guideline 3

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

other: Guidance document on aquatic toxicity testing of difficult substances and mixtures, OECD series on testing and assessment number 23, December 14, 2000

Deviations:

no

GLP compliance:

yes (incl. QA statement)

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Details on test material:

-- Name of test material (as cited in study report): Custom Red #2
- Substance type: Violet powder
- Physical state: Solid
- Lot/batch No.: C50APR0805D
- Stability under test conditions: Stable
- Storage condition of test material: At room temperature in the dark

Sampling and analysis

Analytical monitoring:

no

Details on sampling:

Not applicable.

Test solutions

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

Preparation of test solutions started with a loading rate of 100 mg/l applying 1 day of magnetic stirring to reach maximum solubility of the test substance in the test medium. The resulting aqueous mixture was filtered through a membrane filter (Whatman, 0.45 µm) where after the filtrate was used as the highest test concentration. Lower test concentrations were prepared by subsequent dilutions of the filtrate in test medium. The final test solutions were all clear and colourless.

After preparation, volumes of 50 ml were added to each replicate of the respective test concentration. Subsequently, 1 ml of an algal suspension was added to each replicate providing a cell density of 10^4 cells/ml.

Test organisms

Test organisms (species):

Raphidocelis subcapitata (previous names: Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Selenastrum capricornutum)

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata
- Strain: NIVA CHL 1
- Source (laboratory, culture collection): In-house laboratory culture
- Age of inoculum (at test initiation): 4 days before the start of the test, cells from the algal stock culture were inoculated in culture medium at a cell density of 1 x 10^4 cells/ml.
- Method of cultivation: Algae stock cultures were started by inoculating growth medium with algal cells from a pure culture on agar. The suspensions were continuously aerated and exposed to light in a climate room at a temperature of 21-24°C.

Study design

Test type:

static

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

yes

Total exposure duration:

72 h

Post exposure observation period:

None.

Test conditions

Hardness:

0.24 mmol/l (24 mg CaCO3/l)

Test temperature:

between 22.3 and 23.1°C

pH:

At t=0 h: 8.1
At t=72 h: 7.8

Dissolved oxygen:

No data.

Salinity:

Not applicable.

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Nominal concentrations: 0.10, 1.0, 10 and 100 mg/ml

Measured concentrations: The study did not include sampling for determination of actual exposure concentrations because no analytical method could be validated to measure test concentrations due to the low solubility of Custom Red #2.

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel: 100 ml, all glass
- Type: open
- Material, size, headspace, fill volume: 100 ml, normal headspace, 50 ml
- Aeration: no
- Initial cells density: 10000 cells/ml
- Control end cells density: 1176000 cells/ml
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 6 replicates of the highest concentration, 3 replicates for in-between concentrations
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 1 replicate of each test concentration without algae.
- No. of vessels per vehicle control (replicates): 6

GROWTH MEDIUM
- Standard medium used: yes

OTHER TEST CONDITIONS
- Sterile test conditions: no
- Adjustment of pH: no
- Photoperiod: continuous
- Light intensity and quality: TLD-lamps of the type ‘Cool-white’ of 30 Watt, with a light intensity within the range of 94 to 96 µE/m2/s

EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED (with observation intervals if applicable) :
- Determination of cell concentrations: At the beginning of the test, cells were counted using a microscope and a counting chamber. Thereafter cell densities were determined by spectrophotometric measurement of samples at 720 nm using a Varian Cary 50 single beam spectrophotometer with cuvettes (pathlength =10 mm). Algal medium was used as blank and the extra replicates without algae as background for the treated solutions.]
- Other: 72 h NOErC, 72 h NOEbC, 72 h ErC50, 72 h EbC50

TEST CONCENTRATIONS
- Spacing factor for test concentrations: 10
- Test concentrations: 0.10, 1.0, 10 and 100% of a filtered solution prepared at a loading rate of 100 mg/l

Reference substance (positive control):

yes

Remarks:

potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7)

Results and discussion

Effect concentrations

Effect concentrations 1

Duration:

72 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

> 100 other: % of the filtrate

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

growth rate

Effect concentrations 2

Duration:

72 h

Dose descriptor:

NOEC

Effect conc.:

100 other: % of the filtrate

Nominal / measured:

nominal

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

growth rate

Details on results:

- Exponential growth in the control (for algal test): yes
- Observation of abnormalities (for algal test): no
- Any stimulation of growth found in any treatment: no

Results with reference substance (positive control):

- Results with reference substance valid? yes
- EC50:
The EC50 for growth rate reduction (ERC50: 0-72h) was 1.6 mg/l with a 95 % confidence interval ranging from 1.2 to 2.1 mg/l. The historical ranges for growth rate reduction lie between 0.82 and 2.3 mg/l. Hence, the ERC50: 0-72h for the present batch corresponds with this range.

The EC50 for yield inhibition (EYC50: 0-72h) was 0.73 mg/l with a 95 % confidence interval ranging from 0.51 to 1.1 mg/l. Historical ranges are not yet available.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Conclusions:

Due to the very low solubility of Custom Red #2 in test medium, concentration levels that might be toxic for algae could not be reached.

The EC50 for both growth rate reduction (ERC50: 0-72h) and yield inhibition (EYC50: 0-72h) was above a loading rate of 100 mg/l. Actual test concentrations could not be determined but were expected to be much lower.

The NOEC for both growth rate reduction and yield inhibition was above a loading rate of 100 mg/l.