Strontium sulphide

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

Reliable acute toxicity data for invertebrates are available for sulfide, sulfate and strontium. Strontium and sulfide are released upon dissolution of SrS in the aqueous environment. Sulfide is rapidly oxidised under natural environmental conditions. Thus, only acute but not long-term effects due to sulfide exposure are expected. Further, the acute toxicity of sulfate was considered. However, sulfate is of low toxicity.
A reliable 96h-LC50of 0.020 mg H2S/L for the larvae of the mayfly Beatis vagans has been reported by Oseid and Smith (1974) corresponding to the 96h-LC50of 0.07 mg SrS/L.
For the marine environment, the lowest reliable acute value was 0.032 mg H2S/L for the penaid prawn Penaeus indicus (Gopakumar and Kuttyamma, 1996) corresponding to the 96h-LC50of 0.112 mg SrS/L.
A reliable, nominal 48h-EC50of 125 mg Sr/L forDaphnia magnais reported by Biesinger and Christensen (1972) resulting by read-across in the 48h-EC50of 171 mg SrS/L.
Comparing acute toxicity levels of Sr and S in freshwater, it can be concluded that the acute toxicity of SrS to invertebrates is driven by sulfide resulting in the 96h-LC50 of 0.07 mg SrS/L.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

70 µg/L

Marine water invertebrates

Marine water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

112 µg/L

Additional information

Biesinger and Christensen (1972) reported a nominal 48h-EC₅₀of 125 mg Sr/L for the water fleaDaphnia magna(nominal Sr concentrations).

The lowest reliable acute toxicity endpoint for freshwater invertebrates with regard to sulfide was reported by Oseid and Smith (1974) for the larvae of the mayflyBeatis vagans, i.e., the 96h-LC₅₀of 0.02 mg H₂S/L corresponding to 0.07 mg SrS/L. Gopakumar and Kuttyamma (1996) reported the lowest reliable acute toxicity endpoint in the marine environment for the penaeid prawnPenaeus indicus, i.e., the96h-LC₅₀of 0.032 mg H₂S/L corresponding to 0.112 mg SrS/L.

In oxic environments, however, sulfide released from SrS is oxidized to sulfate, and the hazard of the released sulfur should be evaluated by reading-across the toxicity of sulfate. The study by Mount et al (1997) was identified in the OECD SIDS for Na₂SO₄(i.e., the most relevant substance for assessing the hazard of sulfate) as key study with regard to acute toxicity of sulfate to invertebrates. This study reports a 48h-LC₅₀of 3080 mg Na₂SO₄/L for the water fleaCeriodaphnia dubiacorresponding to a 48h-LC₅₀of 2595 mg SrS/L.