Toxicity of three halogenated flame retardants to nitrifying bacteria, red clover (Trifolium pratense), and a soil invertebrate (Enchytraeus crypticus).
Halogenated flame retardants have a high sorption affinity to particles, making soils and sediments important sinks. Here, three of the most commonly used flame retardants have been tested for sub-lethal toxicity towards soil nitrifying bacteria, a terrestrial plant (seed emergence and growth of the red clover, Trifolium pratense), and a soil invertebrate (survival and reproduction of Enchytraeus crypticus). Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) was quite toxic to enchytraeids, with significant effects on reproduction detected already at the 10 mgkg(-1) exposure level (EC(10)=2.7 mgkg(-1)). In contrast, decabromodiphenyl ether (DeBDE) was not toxic at all, and short-chain chloroparaffins (CP(10-13)) only affected soil nitrifying bacteria at the highest test concentration (EC(10)=570 mgkg(-1)). Exposure concentrations were verified by chemical analysis for TBBPA and DeBDE, but not for CP(10-13), as a reliable method was not available. Based on the generated data, a PNEC for soil organisms can be estimated at 0.3 mgkg(-1) for TBBPA and 57 mgkg(-1) for short-chain chloroparaffins. No PNEC could be estimated for DeBDE. Measurements of TBBPA in soil are not available, but measured concentrations in Swedish sludge are all lower than the estimated threshold value for biological effects in soil.
Sverdrup
Line Emilie
LE
Jordforsk--Norwegian Centre for Soil and Environmental Research, Frederik A. Dahlsvei 20, Norway. line.sverdrup@bio.uio.no
Hartnik
Thomas
T
Mariussen
Espen
E
Jensen
John
J
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000633:toxicity*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010232:Paraffin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity*; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D029921:Trifolium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D010232:Paraffin; C020806:tetrabromobisphenol A; D009584:Nitrogen; C010902:decabromobiphenyl ether