Essential Oil of Piper nigrum L. (Family: Piperaceae). Obtained by the steam distillation of dried unripe berries.

Endpoint summary

Description of key information

Short term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates:

Short term toxicity of test chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) to aquatic invertebrate i.e., Daphnia Magna was estimated by using OECD QSAR tool box v3.3 and by considering seven closest read across chemicals with log Kow as primary descriptor. EC 50 value was determined to be 0.673 mg/L in 48 hrs on the basis of mobility. By considering EC50 value it is concluded that test chemical Black pepper oil is toxic to daphnia magna and can be classified in aquatic acute1 category according to CLP classification criteria.

Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria:

Toxicity of test chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) to aquatic algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (previous names: Raphidocelis subcapitata, Selenastrum capricornutum) was estimated by using OECD QSAR tool box v3.3 and by considering five closest read across chemicals. EC 50 value was determined to be 0.9112 mg/L in 72 hrs on the basis of growth rate. By considering EC50 value it is concluded that test chemical Black pepper oil is toxic to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category according to CLP classification criteria.

Additional information

Short term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates:

Results of predicted data for target chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) and experimental data for its read across chemical with log Kow as primary descriptor are summarized below for short term toxicity to aquatic invertebrate endpoint.

In a first predicted weight of evidence study the short term toxicity of test chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) to aquatic invertebrate i.e., Daphnia Magna was estimated by using OECD QSAR tool box v3.3 (2017) and by considering seven closest read across chemicals with log Kow as primary descriptor. EC 50 value was determined to be 0.673 mg/L in 48 hrs on the basis of mobility. By considering EC50 value it is concluded that test chemical Black pepper oil is toxic to daphnia magna and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category according to CLP classification criteria.

In another predicted weight of evidence study the prediction was done by using Estimation Program Interface ( EPI suite, 2017) ECOSAR version 1.1, and on the basis of similarity of structure to chemicals for which the aquatic toxicity has been previously measured by structure-activity relationships (SARs) program, the LC 50 value for short term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates was predicted. On the basis of this program, the LC 50 value for short term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates was predicted to be 0.238 mg/L for Black Pepper Oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) in 48 hrs. Based on this value it can be concluded that the substance is considered to be toxic to aquatic environment and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category as per the criteria mentioned in CLP regulation.

Next weight of evidence study was done from authoritative database (J check, 2017) in this study the Short term toxicity of read across chemical Methycyclohexane (CAS no. 138-86-3) was determined according to OECD Guideline 202 on Daphnia species on the basis of mobility of daphnia species. The EC 50 value obtained was 0.70 mg/L when read across chemical (+/-)-Limonene was exposed to daphnia species for 48hrs. On the basis of EC50 value it is concluded that this read across chemical was considered to be toxic to daphnia species and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category on the basis of CLP classification criteria.

Last weight of evidence study was done from same source as mentioned above ( J check, 2017) for read across chemical Methycyclohexane (CAS no. 108-87-2) in this study the short term toxicity of read across chemical Methycyclohexane was determined on aquatic invertebrate for 48 hrs on the basis of mobility of aquatic invertebrate. The EC 50 value obtained was 0.33 mg/L whenread across chemical Methylcyclohexane was exposed to aquatic invertebrate for 48hrs. On the basis of EC50 value it is concluded that this read across chemical is considered to be toxic to aquatic invertebrate and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category on the basis of CLP classification criteria.

On the basis of results of all the studies mentioned above EC 50 value and LC 50 value of test chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) was 0.238 and 0. 673 mg/L respectively and by considering these values it is concluded that this test chemical is toxic to aquatic invertebrates and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category as per the CLP classification criteria.

Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria:

Results of predicted data for target chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) and experimental data for its read across chemical with log Kow as primary descriptor are summarized below for toxicity of green algae and cyanobacteria endpoint.

In a first predicted data the toxicity of test chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) to aquatic algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (previous names: Raphidocelis subcapitata, Selenastrum capricornutum) was estimated by using OECD QSAR tool box v3.3 and by considering five closest read across chemicals. EC 50 value was determined to be 0.9112 mg/L in 72 hrs on the basis of growth rate. By considering EC50 value it is concluded that test chemical Black pepper oil is toxic to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category according to CLP classification criteria.

In another predicted data the short-term toxicity of the test substance Black Pepper Oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) to green algae was predicted using Estimation Program Interface (EPI Suite, 2017) ECOSAR version 1.10. On the basis of effects observed in a static freshwater system during a 96 hr exposure, the effect concentration (EC50) for the substance is estimated to be 0.522 mg/L. Based on this value, it can be concluded that the test chemical Black pepper oil can be considered as toxic to green algae at environmentally relevant concentrations and can be considered to be classified in aquatic acute category 1 as per the CLP classification criteria.

Further, the supporting experimental weight of evidence study was done from authoritative database  J Check (2017) in this study the toxicity of read across chemical methylcyclohexane (CAS no. 108-87-2) was determined on the green algae on the basis of its growth rate for 72 hrs. The EC50 value of read across chemical methylcyclohexane obtained was 0.34 mg/L and NOEC value obtained was 0.067 mg/L on the basis of growth rate of green algae when read across chemical was exposed to green algae for 72 hrs. On the basis of EC50 value it is concluded that this read across chemical can be considered as toxic to green algae and classified in aquatic acute 1 category according CLP classification criteria.

Last study was also experiment study done from Ecotox database (2017) for read across chemical 1-methyl-4(1-methylethylidene) cyclohex-1-ene (CAS no. 586-62-9). In this study the short term toxicity to aquatic algae namely Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Green Algae) was determined by exposing it to read across chemical 1-methyl-4(1-methylethylidene) cyclohex-1-ene for 96 hrs. NOEC value was determined to be 0.03-0.95 mg/L on the basis of inhibition of biomass (Population).

On the basis of results of all the studies mentioned above EC 50 value of test chemical Black pepper oil (CAS no. 8006-82-4) was in range of 0.522-0.9112 mg/L and by considering this EC50 value range it is concluded that this test chemical is toxic to aquatic green algae and can be classified in aquatic acute 1 category as per the CLP classification criteria.

Further, no long-term studies are available for the substance. Hence based on the CLP critera, the overall aquatic classification of the substance will be Aquatic acute category 1 and aquatic chronic category 1.