title: Daphnid life cycle responses to new generation flame retardants.
abstract: Relatively hazardous brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are currently substituted with halogen-free flame retardants (HFFRs). Consequently, information on their persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT) is urgently needed. Therefore, we investigated the chronic toxicity to the water flea Daphnia magna of two HFFRs, aluminum diethylphosphinate (ALPI) and 9,10-dihyro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-oxide (DOPO). The toxicity of ALPI increased from a 48 h LC50 of 18 mg L(-1) to a 21 day LC50 value of 3.2 mg L(-1), resulting in an acute-to-chronic ratio of 5.6. This may imply a change in classification from low to moderate toxicity. ALPI also affected sublethal life cycle parameters, with an EC50 of 2.8 mg L(-1) for cumulative reproductive output and of 3.4 mg L(-1) for population growth rate, revealing a nonspecific mode of action. DOPO showed only sublethal effects with an EC50 value of 48 mg L(-1) for cumulative reproductive output and an EC50 value of 73 mg L(-1) for population growth rate. The toxicity of DOPO to D. magna was classified as low and likely occurred above environmentally relevant concentrations, but we identified specific effects on reproduction. Given the low chronic toxicity of DOPO and the moderate toxicity of ALPI, based on this study only, DOPO seems to be more suitable than ALPI for BFR replacement in polymers.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam , P.O. Box 94248, 1092 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Susanne L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Waaijers
authors.forename: Tanja E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Bleyenberg
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dits
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schoorl
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schütt
authors.forename: Stefan A E
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kools
authors.forename: Pim
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Voogt
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Admiraal
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Michiel H S
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kraak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003621:Daphnia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000633:toxicity*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants