Dichloromethane Marine Risk Assessment with Special Reference to the Osparcom Region: North Sea

Abstract

This risk assessment on dichloromethane was carried out specifically for the marine environment, following methodology given in the EU risk assessment Regulation (1488/94) and Guidance Document of the EU New and Existing Substances Regulation (TGD, 1997). The study consists of collection and evaluation of data on effects and environmental concentrations from analytical monitoring programs in large rivers and estuaries in the North Sea area. The risk is indicated by the ratio of 'predicted environmental concentrations' (PEC) to 'predicted no-effect concentrations' (PNEC) for the marine aquatic environment. In total, 23 studies for fish, 17 studies for invertebrates and 6 studies for algae were evaluated. Both acute and chronic toxicity studies were taken into account and appropriate assessment factors used to define a PNEC value of 830 microg/l. Most of the available monitoring data apply to rivers and estuaries and were used to calculate PECs. The most recent data (1983--1995) support a typical PEC for dichloromethane lower than 0.2 microg/l and a worst case PEC of 13.6 microg/l. Dichloromethane is not a 'toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate' substance sensu the Oslo and Paris Conventions for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (OSPAR-DYNAMEC). The calculated PEC/PNEC ratios give margins of 60 to 4000 between the PNEC and PEC, dilution within the sea would further increase these margins. It can be concluded that the present use of dichloromethane does not present a risk to the marine aquatic environment.

Efecto Ecotoxicológico de la Mezcla de Aroclor 1254 y Plomo en el Bioindicador Daphnia magna

“…La máxima concentración del diclorometano usado como disolvente para el aroclor 1254 fue de 0,16 mg•L -1 , el cual fue menor que el valor de PNEC para D. magna que es de 0,22 mg•L -1 . Por lo que esta concentración de diclorometano no estaría ejerciendo efectos tóxicos en los bioensayos para el efecto individual de aroclor 1254 y para la mezcla en proporción 1:1 (De Rooij et al, 2004;Won et al, 2019). La disolución se realizó en base a una proporción de 1:1 de aroclor 1254 y de diclorometano, sobre 400 ml de agua embotellada.…”

Antagonistic Effect of Dichloromethane on Oreochromis mossambicus and Immune Stimulation Activity of Aloe Vera

“…It is known to be soluble in compounds such as methanol, ethanol, ether, and other organic solvents, and interactions with DCM in organic solvents might increase or decrease its toxic effects. Furthermore, DCM is a stable compound (De Rooij et al, 2004), and its carcinogenic properties in mice have been previously studied (Watanabe et al, 2007). The effects of trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethane, tetrachloromethane, and chloroform in various marine organisms have been studied (Pan and Dutta, 1998), but the toxicity effects of DCM have rarely been studied in water bodies.…”

Volumetric properties of binary liquid mixtures: Application of the Prigogine–Flory–Patterson theory to excess molar volumes of dichloromethane with benzene or toluene

“…The dichloromethane is mainly used in the pharmaceutical industry as a solvent for chemical reactions, purification, and isolation of intermediates or products. It is also used in paint stripping, metal degreasing, foam blowing, chemical processing (polyurethanes, polycarbonates), and as a secondary refrigerant medium [5]. It is known that benzene and toluene represent the simplest examples of aromatic compounds.…”