dichloromethane; methylene chloride

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Description of key information

The 48-h LC50 for Palaemonetes pugio was 109 mg/L which is the lowest acute toxicity value for marine invertebrates.

The lowest valid acute toxicity value for freshwater invertebrates is a 48-h LC50 to Daphnia magna of 27 mg/L.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

27 mg/L

Marine water invertebrates

Marine water invertebrates

Effect concentration:

109 mg/L

Additional information

Freshwater

Several acute values are reported for freshwater invertebrates. Most of these do not meet the criteria to be classified as valid without restriction, and only 4 are considered to be valid with restrictions. Of these, the lowest measured 48-h LC50 to Daphnia magna was 27 mg/L (McCarty, 1979).

Marine water

Several acute toxicity studies are reported for 3 marine invertebrate species. All of them were conducted under static conditions, but only 1 (Palaemonetes pugio) had analysis of the test solutions (Burton and Fisher, 1990). In another 24-h acute study (Sanchez-Fortun et al., 1997) various life stagesof Artemia salina were evaluated from 24-h to 72-h stages. Results of the 24h-stage was considered valid with care (24-h EC50 of 122 mg/L). However the results obtained from the 48-h and 72-h stages (respectively 24-h EC50 of 99 and 87.5 mg/L) cannot be considered as relevant as starvation may have influenced the results. Additionally, control data are not described. On the same species, Abernethy et al. (1988) found a 24-h LC50 of 510 mg/L. As only partial volatility control has been taken in this study, results should be handled with care.