Distillates (Fischer-Tropsch), 210-360 degree Celcius, hydrotreated, isoalkanes, cyclics, <0.1% aromatics

Toxicity to birds

Description of key information

Several long-term studies have evaluated the effects of a test substance containing a mixture of normal, iso-, and cyclic paraffins with carbon numbers ranging from C10 to C19 to Mallard ducks and eggs. The effects measured have included survival, growth, organ weight, development, sex ratio, blood parameters. For all endpoints evaluated, the paraffin mixtures did not produce any toxic effects, based on statistical analyses between the control and treatment populations. These data suggest that Distillates (Fischer-Tropsch), 210-360 degree Celsius, hydrotreated, isoalkanes, cyclics, <0.1% aromatics, would not produce toxic effects to Mallard ducks and eggs under the same test conditions.

Additional information

There are no data available on toxicity to birds of Distillates (Fischer-Tropsch), 210-360 degree Celsius, hydrotreated, isoalkanes, cyclics, <0.1% aromatics.

Distillates (Fischer-Tropsch), 210-360 degree Celsius, hydrotreated, isoalkanes, cyclics, <0.1% aromatics consist of hydrocarbon solvents with predominant carbon numbers in the range of C11 to C19. The constituents of this solvent are single isomers as well as mixed solvents of which the primary constituents are branched chain (iso-), and cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons. Aromatic constituents, if present, represent less than 0.1% of the total volume.

N-paraffins are only present in very low concentrations (<1%).

The carbon numbers in the range of C11 to C19 and initial distillation points (IBP) characterize the source substances. The distillation range of the source substances ranges from 220°C to 350 degree Celsius although some solvents may contain higher boiling material. The benzene and sulphur contents of source substances are low, benzene levels for example are typically <3 ppm.

The toxicology and environmental fate and effects data show that source substances have a similar order of (eco-)toxicological and environmental fate properties as the target substance. Therefore, read-across is performed based on an analogue approach (for details please refer to the analogue justification which is attached in section 13 of the technical dossier).

Several long-term studies have evaluated the effects of a test substance containing a mixture of normal, iso-, and cyclic paraffins with carbon numbers ranging from C10 to C19 to Mallard ducks and eggs. The effects measured have included survival, growth, organ weight, development, sex ratio, blood parameters. For all endpoints evaluated, the paraffin mixtures did not produce any toxic effects, based on statistical analyses between the control and treatment populations. These data suggest that Distillates (Fischer-Tropsch), 210-360 degree Celsius, hydrotreated, isoalkanes, cyclics, <0.1% aromatics, would not produce toxic effects to Mallard ducks and eggs under the same test conditions.

Adult Mallard ducks were fed a diet containing a 1.0% paraffin mixture (equal parts (wt.) of decahydronaphthalene (C10), 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethyl heptane (C12), n-tridecane (C13), n-pentadecane (C15), n-hexadecane (C16), 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethyl nonane (C16), n-heptadecane (C17), n-octadecane (C18), 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl pentadecane (C19)) for 26 weeks. No statistical differences were seen between treatment and control duck body weight, organ (liver, kidney, and spleen) weights, and blood parameters (hematocrit, hemoglobin, plasma sodium, potassium, cholesterol and triglycerides, plasma enzyme activities glutamic oxalacetic transaminase - GOT, lactated deshydrogenase - LDH, alpha-hydroxybutiric acid dehydrogenase - HBDH, and orinithine carbamyl transferase - OCT). There was also no statistical difference between treatment and control duck egg endpoints (number of eggs laid, eggshell thickness, fertility, and egg viability).

Adult Mallard ducks were fed a diet containing a 1.0% paraffin mixture (equal parts (wt.) of decahydronaphthalene (C10), 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethyl heptane (C12), n-tridecane (C13), n-pentadecane (C15), n-hexadecane (C16), 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethyl nonane (C16), n-heptadecane (C17), n-octadecane (C18), 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl pentadecane (C19)) for 28 weeks.

Neither mortality nor visible symptoms of toxicity occurred in any of the tests. No statistical differences were seen between treatment and control duck body weight, organ (liver and testes) weights, and blood parameters (hematocrit, plasma sodium, plasma potassium, and the plasma enzyme activity - glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT)).

Mallard duck eggs were coated with 5ul of a paraffin mixture (equal parts (wt.) of decahydronaphthalene (C10), 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethyl heptane (C12), n-pentadecane (C15), n-hexadecane (C16), 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethyl nonane (C16), n-heptadecane (C17), n-octadecane (C18), nonadecane (C19), and 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl pentadecane (C19)) for 18 days.

There were no effects on embryonic survival and weight, sex ratio, and development (crown-rump and beak lengths) in eggs that had the paraffin mixture applied to the shell surface in comparison to control eggs.