2.2.7 Aquatic Toxicity

Due to the volatility of ethylbenzene relevant ecotoxicity results can only be obtained from studies using flow-through or closed systems with measurement of ethylbenzene concentrations. Short-term toxicity for vertebrates ranges from 4-12 mg/l, for invertebrates from 0.5-15 mg/l, and for algae from 3-8 mg/l.

In conclusion, ethylbenzene is toxic to aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates (LC50 after 48 – 96 hours is in the range of 1-10 mg/l). However, the low potential to bio-accumulate (see chapter 2.2.5 Bioaccumulation) and the lack of persistence due to ready biodegradability (see chapter 2.2.6 Degradation and Persistence) mean that ethylbenzene will not cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment. For details on ethylbenzene depletion from water see Appendix 2.

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