Comparative Assessment of the Sensitivity of Fish Early-Life Stage, Daphnia, and Algae Tests to the Chronic Ecotoxicity of Xenobiotics: Perspectives for Alternatives to Animal Testing

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Abstract
No Observed Effect Concentrations (NOECs) are used in environmental hazard classification and labeling of chemicals and their environmental risk assessment. They are typically obtained using standard tests such as the fish early‐life stage (FELS) toxicity test, the chronic Daphnia reproduction test, and the algae growth inhibition test. Given the demand to replace and reduce animal tests we explored the impact of the FELS test on the determination of effect concentrations by comparing the FELS test, Daphnia and algae acute or chronic toxicity tests. Lowest observed effect concentrations (LOECs) were used instead of NOECs for better comparison with LC50 or EC50 data. A database of FELS data for 223 compounds was established. Corresponding Daphnia and algae toxicity tests were identified using established databases (US EPA ECOTOX, OECD QSAR toolbox, eChemPortal, EnviroTox and OpenFoodTox database). About 9.5 percent of the investigated compounds showed a 10‐fold higher sensitivity in FELS in comparison to the lowest effect concentrations obtained with any of the other tests. Some of these compounds were known or discussed as endocrine disrupting or other non‐narcotic chemicals indicating that the higher sensitivity in the FELS test is related to a specific mechanism of action. Targeting these mechanisms by alternative test systems or endpoints, for instance using fish embryos, may allow reduction or replacement of the FELS test or prioritize compounds for conduction of the FELS test.
Funding Information
  • L'Oreal Environmental Research Department (C180899)

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