Registration Dossier

Data platform availability banner - registered substances factsheets

Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Ecotoxicological information

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Currently viewing:

Administrative data

Link to relevant study record(s)

Description of key information

Acutely harmful to aquatic invertebrates.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates
Effect concentration:
85.4 mg/L

Additional information

To determine the toxicity of 2-ethylhexanoic acid to aquatic invertebrates, a 
non-GLP study following the method laid down in Directive 79/831/EEC using 
Daphnia magna was performed. The calculated EC50 (48h) value in this study was 
85.4 mg/L, related to the nominal concentration (BASF SE 1988). Due to the low 
pH-values in the higher concentrations (125 mg/L = 5.79 (0h), 7.09 (48h)- 62.5 mg/L = 6.95 (0h) 
- 7.85 (48h)) the effects might have occurred due to pH changes induced by the test 
substances. In the concentration 125 mg/L all animals are immobile after 48 hours whereas 
in the concentration 62.5 mg/L only one daphnid was immobile at the test end. In addition a
test with the sodium 2-ethylhexanoat is available. This analogous substance is the product of 
neutralisation of 2-ethylhexanoic acid with aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. In the test an EC 50
of 910 mg/L was estimated after a test duration of 48 hours. Another acute test performed by DOW (1993) revealed an EC50 (48h) of 109 mg/L.
For the overall assessment of the substance, the lower EC50 value is used.