Toxicity of five alkyl‐aryl phosphate ester chemicals to four species of freshwater fish

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AbstractThe toxicities of five phosphate ester compounds — Fyrquel GT, Kronitex 200, Phosflex 31P, Pydraul 50E and Santicizer 148—were evaluated in acute toxicity tests with rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) and in 90‐d partial life‐cycle tests with fathead minnows. Nominal exposure concentrations were 0, 0.06, 0.12, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L in the partial life‐cycle tests with Fyrquel GT, Kronitex 200, Phosflex 31P and Pydraul 50E, and 0, 0.05, 0.09, 0.19, 0.38 and 0.75 mg/L in the test with Santicizer 148.The 96‐h LC50 values for rainbow trout, fathead minnows, channel catfish and bluegills exposed to the five phosphate esters ranged from less than 0.3 to greater than 72 mg/L. The LC50 values may be directly related to the percentage of triphenyl phosphate contained in each of the compounds. The phosphate esters generally showed similar chronic toxicities to fathead minnows, and adverse toxic effects occurred at nominal exposure concentrations of 0.38 to 1.0 mg/L. Comparison of available environmental concentration data for phosphate esters with the effect concentrations obtained for fish in the present study indicated that phosphate ester compounds may not now pose a threat to fish populations.