Tributylamine

Bioaccumulation: aquatic / sediment

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

bioaccumulation in aquatic species: fish

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

performed in 2000

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: GLP guideline study, well documented, originally in Japanese but also translated into English

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 305 (Bioconcentration: Flow-through Fish Test)

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

other: Concentration Test of Chemical Substances in the Body of Fish or Shellfish (Japanese guideline)

GLP compliance:

yes

Radiolabelling:

no

Details on sampling:

- Sampling intervals/frequency for test organisms: day 7, 11, 17, 21, 28
- Sampling intervals/frequency for test medium samples: day 1, 7, 11, 17, 28

Vehicle:

yes

Details on preparation of test solutions, spiked fish food or sediment:

Preparation Method
- 0.1 mg/L:
The test substance solution of 10 g/L was prepared and it was diluted with the ion-exchange water to prepare the stock solution of 80 mg/L.
- 0.01 mg/L
The test substance solution of 10 g/L was prepared and it was diluted with the ion-exchange water to prepare the stock solution of 8 mg/L.
- controls:
HCO-40 (vehicle) was dissolved in the ion-exchange water to prepare the stock solution of 800 mg/L as HCO-40 concentration.

Test organisms (species):

Cyprinus carpio

Details on test organisms:

TEST ORGANISM
- Common name: common carp
- Strain: TFC-000808
- Source: Fisherman´s Cooperative Association of Yabe River, Fukuoka, Japan (date: 2000-08-08)
- Age at study initiation (mean and range, SD): 1 yr
- Length at study initiation (lenght definition, mean, range and SD): 5.9 - 7.9 cm
- Composition: >=43.0% protein, <=3.0% lipid
- Feeding during test
- Food type: Formula Feed Rearing Juvenile Carp
- Amount: 2% of weight of test fish
- Frequency: twice per day (not fed 24 h before sampling)

ACCLIMATION
- Acclimation period: 74 d
- Acclimation conditions (same as test or not): yes
- Type and amount of food: Formula Feed Rearing Juvenile Carp, 2% of weight
- Feeding frequency: twice per day
- Health during acclimation (any mortality observed): fish with abnormal behaviour were removed, no mortality described

Route of exposure:

aqueous

Test type:

flow-through

Water / sediment media type:

natural water: freshwater

Total exposure / uptake duration:

28 d

Test temperature:

24.8 - 25.5°C

pH:

7.6 -7.7

Dissolved oxygen:

7.9 - 8.1 mg/L

Details on test conditions:

TEST SYSTEM
- Test vessel: glass tank
- Material, size, headspace, fill volume: 100 L
- Aeration: yes
- Renewal rate of test solution (frequency/flow rate): 2307 L/day
- No. of organisms per vessel: 28 in test concentrations, 8 in controls
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 1
- No. of vessels per control / vehicle control (replicates): 1

TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- Source: groundwater pumped out
- Holding medium different from test medium: no
- Intervals of water quality measurement: daily (T, cleaning, water quantity), twice a week (O2), once a week (pH)
- Intervals of test medium replacement:

OTHER TEST CONDITIONS
- Adjustment of pH: no
- Photoperiod: 14 (light) . 10 (dark)

RANGE-FINDING / PRELIMINARY STUDY
- Results used to determine the conditions for the definitive study: yes, steady state reached after 28 d

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Nominal: 0.01, 0.1 mg/L
Measured (water, arithmetic mean of 6 measurements): 0.0983 (98.3%), 0.981 mg/L (98.1%)

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Lipid content:

3.27 %

Time point:

start of exposure

Lipid content:

3.52 %

Time point:

end of exposure

Key result

Type:

BCF

Value:

7.3 dimensionless

Calculation basis:

steady state

Remarks on result:

other: key value

Remarks:

Conc.in environment / dose:0.1 mg/L

Type:

BCF

Value:

> 0.32 - <= 18 dimensionless

Remarks on result:

other: Conc.in environment / dose:0.1 mg/L

Type:

BCF

Value:

> 3.2 - <= 47 dimensionless

Remarks on result:

other: Conc.in environment / dose:0.01 mg/L

Details on results:

- Mortality of test organisms: no mortality observed
- Behavioural abnormalities: no abnormality observed
- Other biological observations: the lipid content increased from 3.27% (start) to 3.52% (end)

Measured and calculated results

Nominal concentration [mg/L]	Test substance concentration [mg/L] in test water after
	1 d	7 d		11 d		17 d		21 d	28 d	Mean
0.1	0.0983	0.0979		0.101		0.0984		0.0962	0.0971	0.0981
0.01	0.00997	0.00974		0.00972		0.00994		0.00988	0.00971	0.00983
	Test substance concentration [mg/L] in test water in steady state after							The concentration rate (BCF) in the steady state was calculated to be7.3
	17 d		21 d		28 d		mean
0.1	0.0984		0.0962		0.0971		0.0972
	Concentration rate (BCF) after
	7 d		11 d		17 d		21 d	28 d
0.1	0.32		0.32		7.3 – 18		6.1 – 6.3	2.7 – 2.9
0.01	3.2		3.2		45 – 47		10 – 12	3.2

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Conclusions:

BCF (Cyprinus carpio): 7.3 (steady state) for 0.1 mg/L after 28 d.

Executive summary:

The bioaccumulation potential was tested on carp (Cyprinus carpio). The study was performed according to OECD TG 305. The BCF was determined to be 3.2-47 in the lower concentration (0.01 mg/L) area and 7.3 (steady state, key value) or 0.32 - 18, respectively, in the upper concentration area (0.1 mg/L). Therefore, tributylamine is does not bioaccumulated significantly in aquatic organisms.

Description of key information

Tributylamine does not accumulate significantly in organisms.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

BCF (aquatic species):

7.3 dimensionless

Additional information

The bioaccumulation potential of tributylamine was experimentally determined in two studies (Hoechst, 1989; NITE, 2002). While the study by Hoechst (1989) does not fully meet the requirements of the recent guideline (e.g. OECD 305), the study by NITE (2002) was performed according to OECD 305. The Hoechst (1989) study determined a BCF of 12 L/kg. NITE (2002) determined for the lower test item concentration (0.01 mg/L) a BCF range of > 3.2 to <= 47 and for the higher test concentration (0.1 mg/L) a BCF of >0.32 to <= 18. As key value a BCF of 7.3 was determined for steady state. Based on the higher reliability of the study by NITE (2002), this study was selected as key study.

The experimental data are supported by the estimated BCF of 74.3, calculated by the BCF-Meylan et al., 1997/1999 submodel of BCFBAF v3.00 implemented in EPISuite v4.11 (BASF SE, 2014). The BCF-estimate refers to the uncharged molecule; the substance is within the applicability domain of this model.

The BCF base-line model v02.07 (Catalogic v5.11.13) also supports the experimentally determined low BCF values. The substance was within the applicability domain of the model. The BCF was estimated to be 319 (log BCF = 2.50) without considering any mitigating factors. Metabolism and to a lesser extent water solubility had a mitigating effect on the bioaccumulation potential. The BCF was estimated to be 4.3 (log BCF = 0.63; BASF SE, 2014).

It can be concluded, that tributylamine is not expected to accumulate significantly in organisms.