Chronic and sublethal toxicities of surfactants to aquatic animals: A review and risk assessment

Abstract

Surfactants are one of the major components (10–18%) of detergent and household cleaning products and are used in high volumes. Several are commonly found in natural waters and consequently, their impact on the environment has been, and continues to be, discussed in the U.S.A., Western Europe and Japan. The chronic and sublethal toxicities of commercially important surfactants to aquatic animal life have not been summarized in the available scientific literature. Based on the summary provided here scientific understanding of the chronic and sublethal toxicities of cationic surfactants is less than that for the other surfactant groups. Chronic toxicity of anionic and nonionic surfactants occurs at concentrations usually greater than 0.1 mg/l. Effects of these same surfactants on several behavioral and physiological parameters range from 0.002 to 40.0 mg/l. The available toxicity data base is largely comprised of laboratory-derived toxicity data for a few surfactants, predominantly LAS, and single freshwater planktonic species such as Daphnia magna and the fathead minnow and a benthic midge. Community effect levels have been reported only for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and effects on single freshwater and saltwater test species and on natural biotic communities are largely unknown for many commercially important surfactants. Based on a comparison of the reported chronic toxicity data and measured environmental levels in rivers, the aquatic safety of the anionic LAS is indicated, more so than for any other surfactant. Safety assessments for other major surfactants in saltwater and freshwater should be considered preliminary and limited until validated with corresponding exposure measurements and additional laboratory and field-derived chronic toxicity data for animal test species.