Ammonia, anhydrous

Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Reference 1

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

study well documented, meets generally accepted scientific principles, acceptable for assessment

Qualifier:

equivalent or similar to guideline

Guideline:

other: ASTM E729-80

GLP compliance:

not specified

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Details on sampling:

Not reported

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

Concentration: 10.3 to 140.0 mg/L (appropriate dilution of stock solution (0.532 g of NH4Cl / 200 mL)

Test organisms (species):

Daphnia magna

Details on test organisms:

a)Source: A brood stock of Daphnia magna acclimated to Tettabawassee River water for approx. 9 weeks.
b)Feeding: During the acclimation daphnids were fed a diet of the green alga in the culture water (1.25mg dry wt/L).

Test type:

static

Water media type:

freshwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

48 h

Post exposure observation period:

No post-exposure observation

Hardness:

220-240mg/L as CaCO3, alkalinity; 175-185mg/L as CaCO3, conductivity; 380-440 micro-m hos/cm

Test temperature:

19.5 to 20.5 degree C

pH:

8.4-8.6

Dissolved oxygen:

All greater than 90% saturation

Salinity:

Not applicable

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Not reported.

Details on test conditions:

a)Dilution Water Source: Pumped from the west side of the Tittabawassee River and passed through 250 or 500 micro-m filter.
b)Dilution Water Chemistry: hardness;220-240mg/L as CaCO3,alkalinity; 175-185mg/L as CaCO3, pH; 8.3-8.6, conductivity; 380-440 micro-m hos/cm

Reference substance (positive control):

no

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect conc.:

101 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (not specified)

Conc. based on:

other: non-ionised ammonia

Basis for effect:

mortality

Remarks on result:

other: 95% CI - 92.4 - 110 mg/L

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

LOEC

Effect conc.:

74 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (not specified)

Conc. based on:

other: non-ionised ammonia

Basis for effect:

mortality

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EC0

Effect conc.:

39.7 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (not specified)

Conc. based on:

other: non-ionised ammonia

Basis for effect:

mortality

Results with reference substance (positive control):

No reference substance

Conclusions:

The 48-h EC50 value (95% confidence interval) obtained was 101 (92.4-110) mg/L

Executive summary:

The acute toxicity of ammonia was investigated in Daphnia magna. The 48 hour EC50 value for was determined to be 101 mg NH3/L (with 95% confidence limits of 92.4 -110 mg/l).

Reference 2

Endpoint:

short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

2013

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: The study was not conducted according to GLP, however, it was conducted using a modified version of OECD guidelines. The test was conducted at a number of doses with proper controls. As such, the study is considered Klimisch 2.

Qualifier:

equivalent or similar to guideline

Guideline:

other: OECD Validation report of the full life-cycle test with the Harpacticoid copepods Nitocra spinipes and Amphiascus tenuiremis and the Calanoid copepod Acaria tonsa. (79 ENV/JM/MONO)

GLP compliance:

no

Remarks:

data published

Specific details on test material used for the study:

Details on properties of test surrogate or analogue material (migrated information):
Not applicable

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Details on sampling:

Concentrations of ammonia were measured at test initiation.

Vehicle:

no

Details on test solutions:

Seawater for culturing and test was collected from Cronulla, NSW, Australia. Seawater was filtered through a 0.45 µm cartridge filter and stored at 4oC in the dark. Five to six concentrations of ammonia , at 1-30 mg/L measured, were used in the test along with a seawater control.

Test organisms (species):

other: Acaria sinjensis

Details on test organisms:

Copepods (Acaria sinjensis) were originally obtained fromthe Queensland Department of Primary Industries Northern Fisheries Centre (NFC) Cairns, Queensland. Cultures were fed once a week with approximately 3 e7 cells of Isochrysis sp. and approximately 9e7 cells of proteomonas sulcata. Copepods used for testing were >10 days old.

Test type:

static

Water media type:

saltwater

Limit test:

no

Total exposure duration:

48 h

Post exposure observation period:

Not applicable

Hardness:

Not stated.

Test temperature:

30oC

pH:

7.5 - 8.2

Salinity:

Natural salt water.

Nominal and measured concentrations:

Measured concentrations of ammonia ranged from 1-30 mg/L.

Details on test conditions:

Lighting conditions during the test were light:dark ratio of 18:6 hours. The temperature was maintained at 30oC. Tests were carried out in quadruplicate in 20 mL glass scintillation vials, with five copepods per vial. Testing was conducted in 200 mL of culture water.

Reference substance (positive control):

yes

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EC10

Effect conc.:

5 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (initial)

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mobility

Remarks on result:

other: standar error± 3 mg/L

Duration:

48 h

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect conc.:

10 mg/L

Nominal / measured:

meas. (initial)

Conc. based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect:

mobility

Remarks on result:

other: standard error ± 6 mg/L

Details on results:

The 48 hour EC10 for mobility of Acaria sinjensis was found to be 5 mg/L (s.e.= ±3 mg/L). The 48 hour EC50 was found to be 10 mg/L (s.e.= ±6 mg/L).

Results with reference substance (positive control):

Not stated.

Reported statistics and error estimates:

Data from tests were analysed using ToxCalc. The Trimmed Spearman-Karber method or Maximum Likelihood probit analysis was used to determine EC50 and EC10 values with 95% confidence limits.

Validity criteria fulfilled:

not applicable

Conclusions:

The 48 hour EC10 for mobility of Acaria sinjensis was found to be 5 mg NH3/L (s.e.= ±3 mg/L). The 48 hour EC50 was found to be 10 mg NH3/L (s.e.= ±6 mg/L).

Executive summary:

A study was conducted on the marine copepod Acaria sinjiensis to assess the toxicity of ammonia over 48 -hours exposure in seawater. The test was conducted at measured concentrations of 1 -30 mg/L of ammonia. Lighting conditions during the test were light:dark ratio of 18:6 hours. The temperature was maintained at 30°C. Tests were carried out in quadruplicate in 20 mL glass scintillation vials, with five copepods per vial. Testing was conducted in 200 mL of culture water. The number of mobile copepods were in each vial was observed and recorded after 24 and 48 hours.

The 48 hour EC10 for mobility of Acaria sinjensis was found to be 5 mg/L (s.e ±3 mg/L). The 48 hour EC50 was found to be 10 mg/L (s.e.±6 mg/L).

Description of key information

The acute toxicity of ammonia was investigated in Daphnia magna. The 48 hour LC50 value for was determined to be 101 mg/L.

The 48 hour EC10 for mobility of Acaria sinjensis (marine copepod) was found to be 5 mg/L (s.e ±3 mg/L). The 48 hour EC50 was found to be 10 mg/L (s.e.±6 mg/L).

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water invertebrates

Fresh water invertebrates

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect concentration:

101 mg/L

Marine water invertebrates

Marine water invertebrates

Dose descriptor:

EC50

Effect concentration:

10 mg/L

Additional information

The key study for the acute toxicity for freshwater invertebrates investigated the acute toxicity of ammonia in Daphnia magna (Gersich & Hopkins 1986). The 48 hour LC50 value for was determined to be 101 mg NH3/L.

A supporting study with Daphnia magna resulted in 15.6 mg NH3/L. A further supporting study with the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus resulted in 10d LC50 values of 0.455 to 1.2 mg NH3/L at total ammonia concentrations of 6.6 to 390 mg NH3/L (Schubauer-Bergan et al 1995). A further supporting study with the the midge Chironomus tentans resulted in 10d LC50 values of 0.72 to 13.8 mg NH3/L at total ammonia concentrations of 82.4 to 368 mg NH3/L (Schubauer-Bergan et al 1995).

 

For juvenile freshwater smails a 24 hour LC50 value of 392.94 mg diammonium sulfate/L was obtainded by Tchounwou et al. (1991a). This value corresponds to 101.4 mg NH3/L. IN a second publication Tchounwou et al. (1991b) reported a 24 hour LC50 value for juvenile snails of 526.44 mg diammonium sulfate/L corresponding to 135.8 mg NH3/L.

 

For marine copepods the 48 hour EC50 for mobility of Acaria sinjensis (marine copepod) was found to be 10 mg NH3/L.