No abstract

The toxicity of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS) to representative freshwater and marine fish and invertebrates was investigated. Testing procedures followed Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) guidelines with chemical‐specific adaptations as presented in the OMCTS Testing Consent Order (Docket OPTS‐42071A). The physicochemical properties and behavior of OMCTS (i.e., high volatility, low water solubility) precluded the use of conventional experimental practices and exposure systems. Procedures and systems developed during these investigations provided a mechanism that produced exposure levels equal to the maximum achievable (i.e., “functional”) solubility of OMCTS in natural dilution waters. The toxicant delivery systems and exposure chambers were designed to minimize volatilization by elimination of the air/water interface. The flow‐through systems maintained consistent exposure concentrations and adhered to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guideline test performance criteria. The “functional” water solubility of OMCTS in freshwater and seawater ranged from 14 to 30 μg/L and from 6.0 to 9.0 μg/L, respectively. Functional water solubility appeared to vary slightly with test conditions and dilution water characteristics. Continuous exposures of 2 to 93 d were conducted during these investigations with daphnids (Daphnia magna), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), mysids (Mysidopsis bahia), and sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus). The rainbow trout was determined to be the most sensitive species to OMCTS (14‐d LC50 = 10 μg/L). At levels equal to the functional water solubility, OMCTS was not acutely toxic to D. magna, mysids, or sheepshead minnow. The survival of D. magna was reduced by 16%, relative to the control organisms, after 21‐d exposures to 15 μg/L OMCTS; exposure to 7.9 μg/L OMCTS or less had no effect on daphnid survival or reproduction. No toxicity was observed at the highest concentration tested in a 93‐d exposure of rainbow trout early life stages. The no‐observed‐effect concentration for this study was 4.4 μg/L, the same as determined in a 14‐d extended acute study.

Synthetic pyrethroids are strongly hydrophobic compounds, and their toxicity in sediment is regulated by phase distribution among the sediment, dissolved organic matter, and water phases. In the present study, we spiked and equilibrated four pyrethroids in two sediments, and we characterized their phase distribution as a function of contact time. The freely dissolved concentration measured by solid-phase microextraction was only a small fraction (<16.3%) of the total pore-water concentration as determined by liquid-liquid extraction. The fraction of the freely dissolved concentration was significantly greater in the freshwater sediment (1.7-16.3%) than in the marine sediment (1.1-4.2%) following 9 d of equilibration, and it decreased substantially with contact time to less than 5% at 30 d after sediment dosing. Consequently, the apparent organic carbon partition coefficient (Koc) and dissolved organic carbon partition coefficient (Kdoc) values increased significantly over the contact time, especially in the freshwater sediment, suggesting that phase distribution was not at equilibrium after 9 d of equilibration. If only the freely dissolved concentration is bioavailable, these observations suggest that contact time after sediment dosing may greatly affect the bioavailability and, hence, the toxicity of pyrethroids. Therefore, a long contact time (> or = 30 d) is recommended for sediment toxicity testing of this class of compounds. The dependence of bioavailability on contact time also implies that test conditions must be standardized to allow comparison between laboratory-dosed samples and field samples.

No abstract

The toxicity of octamethylcyclotetrailoxane (OMCTS) to representative freshwater and marine fish and invertebrates was investigated. Testing procedures followed Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) guidelines with chemical-specific adaptations as presented in the OMCTS Testing Consent Order (Docket OPTS-42071A). The physicochemical properties and behavior of OMCTS (i.e., high volatility, low water solubility) precluded the use of conventional experimental practices and exposure systems. Procedures and systems developed during these investigations provided a mechanism that produced exposure levels equal to the maximum achievable (i.e., "functional") solubility of OMCTS in natural dilution waters. The toxicant delivery systems and exposure chambers were designed to minimize volatilization by elimination of the air/water interface. The flow-through systems maintained consistent exposure concentrations and adhered to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guideline test performance criteria. The "functional" water solubility of OMCTS in freshwater and seawater ranged from 14 to 30 pg/L and from 6.0 to 9.0 pg/L, respectively. Functional water solubility appeared to vary slightly with test conditions and dilution water characteristics. Continuous exposures of 2 to 93 d were conducted during these investigations with daphnids (Daphnia magna), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), mysids (Mysidopsis bahia), and sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus). The rainbow trout was determined to be the most sensitive species to OMCTS (14-d LC50 = 10 pg/L). At levels equal to the functional water solubility, OMCTS was not acutely toxic to D. magna, mysids, or sheepshead minnow. The survival of D. magna was reduced by l6%, relative to the control organisms, after 21-d exposures to 15 pg/L OMCTS; exposure to 7.9 pg/L OMCTS or less had no effect on daphnid survival or reproduction. No toxicity was observed at the highest concentration tested in a 93-d exposure of rainbow trout early life stages. The no-observed-effect concentration for this study was 4.4 pg/L, the same as determined in a 14-d extended acute study.