Environmental Profiles of Chemical Flame-Retardant Alternatives for

Aquatic Organism Toxicity
Ecotoxicity
Acute Toxicity to Freshwater and Marine Fish (OPPTS Harmonized Guideline 850.1075;
OECD Guideline 203)
Conclusion:
The available acute toxicity data for freshwater fish (cold- and warm-water species) and
saltwater fish were judged inadequate to meet the endpoint. The available acute fish toxicity
studies are summarized in Table 3-1. However, if the results of the SafePharm study (1993a),
cited by IPCS (1998) (see below), are confirmed independently, the acute toxicity data for cold
freshwater fish species might meet the endpoint given the high degree of agreement of the two
available studies in rainbow trout.
Basis for Conclusion:
Freshwater Fish
Ahrens et al. (1979) tested the toxicity to goldfish (Carassius auratus) of tris (1,3-dichloro-2propyl)
phosphate (TDCPP) released from fabric treated with the flame retardant. Laundered or
unlaundered sections of garment that had been treated with Fyrol FR-2, were placed in tanks
with six goldfish. Fish in the tank with the unlaundered section became sluggish and all died
within 3 hours. The concentration of Fyrol FR-2 in the test water reached 30 mg/L. Fish
exposed for 96 hours to the laundered section of garment did not exhibit signs of toxicity. In
another study, TDCPP in water at 1 mg/L was not toxic to goldfish after 168 hours, but 5 mg/L
of TDCPP killed all (6/6) goldfish within 24 hours (Eldefrawi et al., 1977). The studies by
Ahrens et al. (1979) and Eldefrawi et al. (1977) did not evaluate toxicity using a range of
concentrations of TDCPP in water and, thus, cannot be used to derive an LC 50.
Sasaki et al. (1981) estimated that the 96-hour LC 50 values for killifish (Oryzias latipes) and
goldfish were 3.6 mg/L and 5.1 mg/L, respectively. It appears that mortality was not evaluated
in a control group of fish. It is unclear if the TDCPP concentrations in water reported by Sasaki
et al. (1981) are measured or nominal values. The latter point is important because a parallel
study indicated that the amount of TDCPP added to test water declines rapidly and less than 40%
of the original amount of TDCPP remains in the test water after 96 hours (Sasaki et al., 1981).
Thus, the lethal concentrations of TDCPP could be lower than the reported LC 50 values.
Sasaki et al. (1981) reported deformation of the spine in 7/10 killifish exposed to 3.5 mg/L
TDCPP for 24 hours. However, Sasaki et al. (1981) do not provide sufficient information
regarding the spine deformation in killifish to make meaningful use of these observations. It is
unclear whether the deformations were observed in the acute toxicity study or in a separate assay
using killifish only. It appears that deformation was tested at only one concentration and a
control group of fish was not evaluated.
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