Chronic toxicity of 14 phthalate esters to Daphnia magna and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1995 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1897/1552-8618(1995)14[1967:CTOPET]2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:136754

Rhodes, J E; Adams, W J ^[1]; Biddinger, G R ^[2]; Robillard, K A; Gorsuch, J W ^[3]

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1. ABC Labs., Inc., Columbia, MO (United States)
2. Exxon Biomedical Sciences Inc., Benecia, CA (United States)
3. Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, NY (United States)

Chronic toxicity studies were performed with commercial phthalate esters and Daphnia magna (14 phthalates) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (six phthalates). For the lower-molecular-weight phthalate esters--dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP)--the results of the studies indicated a general trend in which toxicity for both species increased as water solubility decreased. The geometric mean maximum acceptable toxicant concentration(GM-MATC) for D. magna ranged from 0.63 to 34.8 mg/L. For the higher-molecular-weight phthalate esters--dihexyl phthalate (DHP), butyl 2-ethylhexyl phthalate (BOP), di-(n-hexyl, n-octyl, n-decyl) phthalate (610P), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), di-(heptyl, nonyl, undecyl) phthalate (711P), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), diundecyl phthalate (DUP), and ditridecyl phthalate (DTDP)--the GM-MATC values ranged from 0.042 to 0.15 mg/L. Survival was equally sensitive and sometimes more sensitive than reproduction. The observed toxicity to daphnids with most of the higher-molecular-weight phthalate esters appeared to be due to surface entrapment or a mode of toxicity that is not due to exposure to dissolved aqueous-phase chemical. Early life-stage toxicity studies with rainbow trout indicated that survival (DMP) and growth (DBP) were affected at 24 and 0.19 mg/L, respectively. This pattern of observed toxicity with the lower-molecular-weight phthalate esters and not the higher-molecular-weight phthalate esters is consistent with previously reported acute toxicity studies for several aquatic species.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 136754
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 14, Issue 11; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
PHTHALATES
TOXICITY
DAPHNIA
SENSITIVITY
TROUT
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
WATER POLLUTION