Terrestrial toxicity evaluation of decabromodiphenyl ethane on organisms from three trophic levels

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2011-05, Vol.74 (4), p.703-710
• Main Authors: Hardy, M.L., Aufderheide, J., Krueger, H.O., Mathews, M.E., Porch, J.R., Schaefer, E.C., Stenzel, J.I., Stedeford, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allium cepa; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Bacteria; Bacteria - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Brominated flame retardants; Bromobenzenes - toxicity; Cucumis; Cucumis sativus - drug effects; Cucumis sativus - growth & development; Drying; Earthworms; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Eisenia fetida; Ethane; Flame Retardants - toxicity; Food Chain; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Glycine max; Lolium - drug effects; Lolium - growth & development; Lolium perenne; Lycopersicon esculentum; Lycopersicon esculentum - drug effects; Lycopersicon esculentum - growth & development; Nitrification; Nitrification - drug effects; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; Oligochaeta - drug effects; Oligochaeta - growth & development; Oligochaeta - physiology; Onions - drug effects; Onions - growth & development; Organisms; Plants; Reproduction; Reproduction - drug effects; risk; seedling growth; Seedlings - drug effects; Seedlings - growth & development; Sewage - chemistry; Sewage - microbiology; Sewage sludge; Soil; Soil (material); Soil - chemistry; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum; Survival; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; toxicity; trophic relationships; Zea mays; Zea mays - drug effects; Zea mays - growth & development
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2010.10.027

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDP-Ethane) was evaluated for its potential to effect sewage sludge respiration, soil nitrification, survival and reproduction in Eisenia fetida, and seedling emergence and growth in Zea mays, Lolium perenne, Glycine max, Allium cepa, Lycopersicon esculentum, and Cucumis sativa. The no observed effect concentrations (NOECs) were identified at the limit concentration level for sewage sludge respiration (>10 mg DBDP-Ethane/kg dry soil), >2500 mg/kg dry soil for soil nitrification, >3720 mg/kg dry soil for earthworm survival, and >6250 mg/kg dry soil for seedling emergence and growth in Z. mays, L. perenne, and G. max . Treatment-related effects were identified for E. fetida reproduction, C. sativa survival, and L. esculentum and A. cepa height and dry weight. The most sensitive endpoints were decreased height and dry weight for A. cepa and decreased reproduction for E. fetida with NOECs of 1563 nominal (1540 measured) and 2210 nominal (1907 mean measured) mg/kg dry soil. The NOEC for soil nitrification and the lowest NOEC identified for soil (i.e., A. cepa) were used to derive predicted no effect concentrations (PNEC) values of 2500 mg/kg for sewage sludge and 156 mg/kg for soil. The calculated PNECs indicate DBDP-Ethane presents little risk to organisms in the sewage sludge and soil compartments.