AMBIENT WATER QUALITY ADVISORY
PENTACHLOROETHANE
OFFICEC OF WATER REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
CRITERIA AND STANDARDS DIVISION
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

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NOTICES
This document has been reviewed by the Criteria and Standards
Division, Office of Water Regulations and Standards, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for distribution.
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use.
This document is available to the public through the Criteria and
Standards Division, Office of Water Regulations and Standards,
U.S. EPA, Washington, DC.
ii

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FOREWORD
The Criteria and Standards Division of the Office of Water
Regulations and Standards has instituted water quality advisories
as a vehicle for transmitting the best available scientific
information concerning the aquatic life and human health effects
of selected chemicals in surface waters. Advisories are prepared
for chemicals for which information is needed quickly, but for
which sufficient data, resources, or time are not available to
allow derivation of national ambient water quality criteria.
Data supporting advisories are usually not as extensive as
required for derivation of national ambient water quality
criteria, and the strength of an advisory will depend upon the
source, type, and reliability of the data available. We feel,
however, that it is in the best interest of all concerned to make
the enclosed information available to those who need it.
Users of advisories should take into account the basis for
their derivation and their intended uses. Anyone who has
additional information that will supplement or substantially
change an advisory is requested to make the information known to
us. An advisory for an individual chemical will be revised if any
significant and valid new data make it necessary.
We invite comments to help improve this product.
Edmund M. Notzon, Director
Criteria and Standards Division
iii

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AQUATIC LIFE
Loren J. Larson, author
University of Wisconsin-Superior, Superior, WI
iv

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CONTENTS
Page

Notices
ii

Foreword
iii

Acknowledgments
iv
I.
Advisories
1-1
II.
General Information
II-l

A. Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties
II-l
Ill.
Aquatic Toxicity
III-l
IV.
Referance
IV-1
V.
EPA Contacts
V-l
v

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SECTION I. ADVISORIES
AQUATIC LIFE
If the measured or estimated ambient concentration of
pentachloroethane exceeds 19 ug/L in fresh or salt water, one or
more of the following options must be completed within a
reasonable period of time:
1.	Obtain more measurements of the concentration.
2.	Improve the estimate of the concentration.
3.	Reduce the concentration.
4.	Obtain additional laboratory and/or field data on the
effect of pentachloroethane on aquatic life so that a
new aquatic life advisory or a water quality criterion
can be derived.
After a reasonable period of time, unless a consideration of all
the available data concerning the ambient concentration and the
effects of pentachloroethane on aquatic life demonstrates that
the ambient concentration is low enough, it must be reduced.
1-1

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SECTION III. GENERAL INFORMATION
Biological. Chemical, and Physical Properties
The following information on the properties of
pentachloroethane and its persistence in the aquatic environment
was obtained from the QSAR System~ha~s on April 28, 1987, or from the
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics~hb~s. Some of the values were
calculated using structure-activity relationships.
Property
Molecular Weight
Relative Density(20~ho~sc)
Log P
Melting Point
Boiling Point
Vapor Pressure
Heat of Vaporization
pKa .
Solubility in Water
BCF
Value
202.3 g/mole
1.6796
3.63
-29.00~ho~sC
162.00~ho~sC
3.25 mm Hg
8,920.00 cal/mole
(not applicable)
62.63 mg/L
292.0
Absorption Coef.[Log (Koc)] 3.31
Source
Calculated
Measured
Calculated
Measured
Measured
Calculated
Calculated
Calculated
Calculated
Calculated
Hydrolysis Half-life = > 1000 days
Hydrolysis is not likely to be an important
mechanism for this chemical.
transformation
Biodegradation Half-life Analysis
This chemical has two or more halogen substitutions. Half-
life for all chemicals with a similar structure is >15 days.
Although microbial decomposition has been reported for some
halogenated acids, the relative rate of decomposition appears to
be retarded by the presence of the halogens.
3
Log 10 (Henry's Constant) = -1.87 atmm /mole
It could be concluded that a chemical with these properties
will vaporize rapidly from and will not persist in open water.
Neely 100-day Partitioning Pattern
Air	= 54.75%
Water	= 23.23%
Ground	=	11.39%
Hydrosoil =	10.63%
For information on the QSAR system, see: Hunter, R., L.
Faulkner, F. Culver and J. Hill. Draft user manual for the
QSAR system. Center for Data.Systems and Analysis, Montana
State University. November, 1985.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 67th Ed.
Raton, FL.1986-1987.
CRC Press, Boca
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SECTION III. AQUATIC TOXICITY
Introduction
Aquatic life advisory concentrations are conceptually
different from national aquatic life water quality criteria.
Because aquatic life advisories are intended to be used to
identify situations where there is cause for concern and where
appropriate action should be taken, the advisory concentration
for a chemical is derived to be equal to or lower than what the
Criterion Continuous Concentration (Stephan et al. 1985) would be
if a national water quality criterion for aquatic life could be
derived for the chemical. If the concentration of a chemical in a
variety of surface waters is found to exceed the aquatic life
advisory concentration, this may indicate that the U.S. EPA
should consider deriving aquatic life water quality criteria for
that chemical.
The literature searching and data evaluation procedures used
in the derivation of aquatic life advisories are identical to
those used in the derivation of water quality criteria for
aquatic life (Stephan et al. 1985). However, advisories do not
contain a section on "Unused Data" as in a criteria document.
This aquatic life advisory concentration for pentachloroethane
was derived using the procedures described in the "Guidelines for
Deriving Ambient Aquatic Life Advisory Concentrations" (Stephan
et al. 1986). A knowledge of these guidelines is necessary in
order to understand the following text, tables, and calculations.
The latest comprehensive search for information for this aquatic
life advisory was conducted in February, 1987.
Based upon the relatively high volatility of
pentachloroethane (see Section III-A), it is predicted that
concentrations in static exposure systems may decrease by more
than 50% within 96 hours. This was verified experimentally by
Brooke (1987) who reported a half-life for pentachloroethane in
static exposures to be 15.6 hours. Therefore, an adjustment
factor was necessary for the interpretation of data from static
tests. Brooke (1987) conducted a comparable flow-through,
measured exposure and a static, measured (based upon 0-hr
measurement) exposure with the fathead minnow (Pimephales
promelas) (Table 1). The ratio of the flow-through - static 96-hr
LC50s was 0.5417. Therefore, all results reported in Table 1 from
static exposures in which the concentrations of chloroform were
not measured were multiplied by 0.5417 to obtain an adjusted
LC50. Only the adjusted values are used in the calculation of the
Advisory Concentration and only results in Table 1 were adjusted.
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Effects on Freshwater Organisms
Data on the acute toxicity of pentachloroethane to freshwater
organisms are limited to an invertebrate and two species of fish
(Table 1). In two separate tests, 48-hr EC50s for Daphnia magna
were 4,690 ug/L and 7,320 ug/L (Ahmad et al. 1984; Call et al.
1983; Richter et al. 1983). Results by LeBlanc (1980) for this
same species greatly exceeded these values, and were not
considered useful in calculating a Species Mean Acute Value. The
mean reported 96-hr LC50 for the fathead minnow (Pimephales
promelas) was 7,480 ug/L (Ahmad et al. 1984; Brooke 1987; Geiger
et al. 1985* Walbridge et al. 1983; Veith et al. 1983).
Buccafusco et al. (1981) exposed the bluegill (Lepomis
macrochirus) to pentachloroethane and calculated a 96-hr LC50 of
7,200 ug/L.
The chronic toxicity data for pentachloroethane are
summarized in Table 2. Ahmad et al. (1984) conducted an early
life-stage test with fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).
Survival was reduced to 45% at a concentration of 4,100 ug/L.
Growth was reduced by 33% at a concentration of 1,400. No adverse
effects were observed at a pentachloroethane concentration of 900
ug/L in the 32 day test .^^e^chroryL-c-vaJ.ue was 1.120_uq/L and the
acute-chronic ratio wasu5.518
Other data on the effects of pentachloroethane on freshwater
organisms are found in Table 4. The three species of algae tested
appear to be less sensitive than higher organisms. Call et al.
(1983) found little difference in 48-hr EC50 when Daphnia magna
were fed or unfed. Uptake of pentachloroethane was studied for
two species of fish. Bioaccumumlation factors (BCF) of 62 and 67
were measured in the fathead minnow and the bluegill,
respectively (Ahmad et al. 1984; Barrows et al. 1980; Veith et
al. 1980).
Effects of Saltwater Organisms
Acceptable data on the acute toxicity of pentachloroethane
are available for an invertebrate and a fish (Table 1). U.S. EPA
(1978) reported a 96-hr LC50 for the mysid shrimp (Mvsidopsis
bahia) of 5,060 ug/L. The 96-hr LC50 for the sheepshead minnow
(Cyprinodon variegatus) was 116,000 ug/L (Heitmuller et al.
1981).
No data are available on the chronic toxicity of
pentachloroethane to any saltwater organisms.
111-2

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U.S. EPA (1978) exposed a marine alga, Skeletonema costatum.
for 4 days and calculated an EC50 (growth reduction) of 58,200
ug/L. Thursby and Steele (1986) and coworkers (1985) studied the
effects of pentachloroethane on growth and reproduction of a red
alga, Champia parvula. In a 14-day exposure, a concentration of
4,700 ug/L was found to affect growth, and a concentration of
1,680 ug/L was found to affect reproduction of the alga.
Calculation of the Advisory Concentration
A total of five Species Mean Acute Values (SMAV) and Genus
Mean Acute Values (GMAV) were available for freshwater and
saltwater organisms (Table 3). Values ranged from 2,740 ug/L for
Mysidopsis to 62,800 ug/L for Cyprinodon. Based upon a total of
five GMAVs, the lowest GMAV(2,740 ug/L) was divided by a factor
of 9.0, in accordance with the guidelines, resulting in an
Advisory Acute Value (AAV) of 304.4 ug/L. One experimentally
determined acute-chronic ratio was available, (Table 2), which
resulted in an Advisory Acute-Chronic Ratio (AACR) of 15.97.
Dividing the AAV (304.4 ug/L) by the AACR (15.97) resulted in an
Advisory Concentration of 19.06 ug/L.
111-3

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Table I. Acute Toxicity of PentachIoroethone to Aquatic Animals
Species
Met hod
Hardness LCSO
(mg/L as or CCSO
Chemi ca I CoCOj) (nq/L)
Adj usted
LC50 or CC50
	)b	
Species Mean
Acute Value
(m/U	
Reference
FRESHWATER SPEC ICS
CIadoceron
(<24 hr).
Poplin i a magna
S. U
72
63,000
34,1 00
LeBlanc 1980
CIadoceran,
(<24 hr).
Dophn i o magna
S. M
46 7
4,690
4,690
Call et al. 1963;
Richter et ol. 1983
CIadoceran
(< 24 hr).
Dophn i o moqno
S. M
46.5
7,320
7,320
S, 860
Ahmad et ol.1984
Tathead minno* S, M
(30 day),
Pimepholes promelos
47 8
5,750
5,750
Brooke 1987
Tathead minno* S, M
(30 day),
Pi mephoIes promelas
47 8 13,900
7,530
Brooke 1987
Eothead minnow F, M
(30 day),
PimephaIes promelos

46 5
7,530
7,530
Brooke 1987;
Ceiger et al . 1985
Fathead minno* T, U
(30 day),
PimephoIes promeIos
45 I
7,340
7.340
7,430	Walbridge et al. 1983;
Veith et al. 1983;
Ahmad et ol 1984

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Table I (continued)
Spec i es
Method"
C h em i c oI
Hardness LC50
(mg/L as or EC50
CoCOj) (/Jg/L)
Adj ust ed
LC50 or EC50
	(/'i/Hb	
Species Uean
Acute Value
	(WL)
Reference
ERESHWATER SPECIES
BluegiII	S, U
(j liven i I e) ,
Lepon)i s mocroc h i rus
32-48
7.200
3,900
3,900
Buccafusco et al.
1981
Spec i es
Method"
Mysid.	S. U
Mvs i dops i s boh i a
Sheepshead minno* S, U
(j uven iIe).
Cypr i nodon vari eqat us
Chemi coI
IC50
So Ii n i t y or EC50
(q/Ki) (fq/i)
Adj usted
LC50 or EC50
SALTWATER SPECIES
5,060	2,740
10-31 116,000
62,800
Species Mean
Acute Value
	(hi/1)
2,740
62,800
Reference
U.S. EPA 1978
Hei tmulIer et al
1981
0 S = Static. R = Reneoel. T = F"Io»-thraugh; U = Measured, U - Unmeasured.
Resuts of static tests in which the concentration of pentochIoroethone was not measured were mulitiplied by a factor of
0.5417 (see text).
c Value not used in the calculation of Species Mean Acute Value (see text).
0-hr. measured only.

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Table 2. Chronic Toxicity of PentocIoroethone to Aquatic Aninrals
Speci es
Test'
Chemicol
Hardness
(mq/l as
CaCOj)
Chronic
Limits
Chronic Value
twq/H
Ref <
fRESHWATER SPECIES
Tot head mi nnow, ELS
PimephaIes promelas
900-1,400
.120
Ahmad et al. 1984
ELS = early life-stage test
Results are based on measure! concentrations of PentachIoroethone.
Acute-Chronic Ratio
Hardness
(¦g/L as Acate Value	Chronic Value
Speci es	CaCOj)	(uo/l)	tua/L)	Rat io
Tathead minnow,	-	7,300	1,120	6.518
PimephaIes promelos

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Table 3 Ronlted Genus Mean Acute Values with.Species Uean Acute-Chronic Ratios
Genus Uean	Species Uean	Species Uean
Acute Value	Acute Value	Acute-Chronic
Ronk0	(uq/L)	Spec i es	(iio/L	Rot i oC
S	62,800	Sheepshead minnow,	62,800
Cypr inodon vor i eoot us
4	7,430	fothead minnow,	7.430	6.SI8
Pimepholes promelos
3	5,860	Cladoceron,	5,860
Daphn i o magna
2	3,900	Bluegill,	3,900
Lepomi s mocroch irus
I	2,740	Uysid.	2,740
Uys idops i s boh i o
0 Ranked from most resistant to most sensitive bosed on Genus Uean Acute Value.
^ Trom Table I
C rromToble2
Advisory Acute Value = (12,740 /ig/L)/ 9.0 = 304 4 /jg/L
Advisory Acute-Chronic Ratio = 15.97
Advisory Concentration = (304.4 //g/L)/ 15.97 = 19.05 /ig/L

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Table 4 Other Dota on Effects of PentachIoroethone on Aquatic Organisms
Spec i es
Chemi caI
Creen alga,
Chiamydomonos
onqjIoso
Creen alga,
ChIomydomonos
vuIqor i s
Green alga,
SeIenas t rum
copr i cornuturn
Clodoceran
(<24 hr),
Dophnia moqno
Fathead minnow,
Pimepho I es protnel os
Guppy.
Poec ilia ret i c uI a t o
Hardness
(mg/L os
CaCOjl.
46 5
Curat i on
Effect
Concentrat i on
tWU
ERESHWATER SPECIES
3 hr
3 hr
4 day
48 hr
(fed)
32 day
7 day
EC50	24,280
(photosynthesis)
EC50	30,350
(photosynthesis)
EC50
EC50
Bcr = 62
LC50
121.000
6,880
15,000
Reference
Hut ch inson et ol.
1979,1980
Hutchi nson et al.
1979,1980
U.S. EPA 1978
Coll et al. 1983;
Ri chter et ol . I 983
Ahmad et al . I 984
Konemonn 1981
81ueg i I I
(juvenile),
Lepomi s mocr och i r us
14 day
BCf = 67
7 93
Barroas et al. 1980;
Vei th et ol . I 980

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Table 4.
(cant i nued)
Salinity
Spec i es	Chemi col	(q/fc q)
Alga,
Skeletonemo
cos t o t urn
Red olga
(sporophyte),
Chamoia porvnIn
Red alga
(sporophyte),
Chomp i a porvu I q
Red alga
(gometophyte),
Chompi o porvula
Red alga
(gametophyte),
Champi o porvulo
Red alga
(gametophyte),
Chompi o porvul o
Curat ion
Effect
Concent rat i on
(uq/L)	Reference
SALTWATER SPECICS
4 day	CC50	58,200
II -14 day	Reduced	4,700
gronth
11-14 day	Reduced	1,680
rerproduct i on
14 day	No sexual	10,200
reproduct i on
2 doy	No sexuol > 21,800
reproduc ti on
U.S. CPA 1978
Thursby et ol 1985
Thursby et al. 1985
Thursby and Steele 1986
Thursby and Steele 1986
I 4 day
EC50	2,200
(reproduct i on)
Thursby and Steele 1986

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SECTION IV. REFERENCES
Ahmad, N., D. Benoit, L. Brooke, D. Call, A. Carlson, D. DeFoe,
J. Huot, A. Moriarity, J. Richter, P. Shubat, G. Veith and C.
Walbridge. 1984. Aquatic toxicity tests to characterize the
hazard of volatile organic chemicals in water: A toxicity data
summary. Parts I and II. EPA 600/3-84-009 or PB84-141506.
National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA.
Barrows, M.E., S.R. Petrocelli, K.J. Macek and J.J. Carroll.
1980. Bioconcentration and elimination of selected water
pollutants by bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). In:
Dynamics, exposure and hazard assessment of toxic chemicals.
Hague, R. (Ed.). Ann Arbor Science Publ., Ann Arbor, MI. pp. 379-
392 .
Brooke L.T. 1987. Center for Lake Superior Environmental Studies,
University of Wisconsin-Superior, Superior, WI. (Memorandum to
L.J. Larson, Center for Lake Superior Environmental Studies,
University of Wisconsin-Superior, Superior, WI. August 31).
Buccafusco, R.J., S.J. Ells and G.A. LeBlanc. 1981. Acute
toxicity of priority pollutants to bluegill (Lepomis
macrochirus). Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 26:446-452.
Call, D.J., L.T. Brooke, N. Ahmad and J.E. Richter. 1983.
Toxicity and metabolism studies with EPA priority pollutants and
related chemicals in freshwater organisms. EPA-600/3-83-095 or
PB83-263665. National Technical Information Service, Springfield,
VA.
Geiger, D.L., C.E. Northcott, D.J. Call and L.T. Brooke (Eds.).
1985. Acute toxicities of organic chemicals to fathead minnows
(Pimephales promelas). Vol. II. Center for Lake Superior
Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Superior,
Superior, WI.
Heitmuller, P.T., T.A. Hollister and P.R. Parrish. 1981. Acute
toxicity of 54 industrial chemicals to sheepshead minnows
(Cyprinodon varieqatus). Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 27:596-
604.
Hutchinson, T.C., J.A. Hellebust, D. MacKay, D. Tam and P. Kauss.
1979. Relationship of hydrocarbon solubility to toxicity in algae
and cellular membrane efffects. American Petroleum Institute
Publication No. 4308. pp. 541-547.
Hutchinson, T.C., J.A. Hellebust, D. Tam, D. MacKay, R.A.
Mascarenhas and W.Y Shiu. 1980. The correlation of toxicity to
algae of hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons with their
physical-chemical properties. Environ. Sci. Res. 16:577-586.
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Konemann, H. 1981. Quantitative structure-activity relationships
in fish toxicity studies. Part 1: Relationship for 50 industrial
pollutants. Toxicology 19:209-221.
LeBlanc, G.A. 1980. Acute toxicity of priority pollutants to
water flea (Daphnia magna). Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.
24:684-691.
Richter, J.E., S.F. Peterson and C.F. Kleiner. 1983. Acute and
chronic toxicity of some chlorinated benzenes, chlorinated
ethanes, and tetrachloroethylene to Daphni a magna. Arch. Environ.
Contam. Toxicol. 12:679-684.
Stephan, C.E., D.I. Mount, D.J. Hansen, J.H. Gentiles, G.A.
Chapman and W.A. Brungs. 1985. Guidelines for deriving numerical
national water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic
organisms and their uses. PB85-227049. National Technical
Information Service, Springfield, VA.
Stephan, C.E., G.A. Chapman, D.J. Hansen and T.W. Purcell. 1986.
Guidelines for deriving ambient aquatic life advisory
concentrations. December 11 draft. U.S. EPA Environmental
Research Laboratory, Duluth, MN.
Thursby, G.B. and R.L. Steele. 1986. Comparison of short- and
long-term sexual reproduction tests with the marine red alga
Champia parvula. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 5:1013-1018.
Thursby, G.B., R.L. Steele and M.E. Kane. 1985. Effect of organic
chemicals on growth and reproduction in the marine red alga
Champia parvula. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 4:797-805.
U.S. EPA. 1978. In-depth studies on health and environmental
impacts of selected water pollutants. (Table of data available
from Charles E. Stephan, U.S. EPA, Duluth, MN.)
Veith, G.D., K.J. Macek, S.R. Petrocelli and J. Carroll. 1980. An
evaluation of using partition coefficients and water solubility
to estimate bioconcentration factors for organic chemicals in
fish. In: Aquatic toxicology. Eaton, J.G., P.R. Parrish and A.C.
Hendricks (Eds.). ASTM STP 707. American Society for Testing and
Materials. Philadelphia, PA. pp. 116-129.
Veith, G.D., D.J. Call and L.T. Brooke. 1983. Estimating the
acute toxicity of narcotic industrial chemicals to fathead
minnows. In: Aquatic toxicology and hazard assessment. ASTM STP
802. Bishop, W.E., R.D. Cardwell and B.B. Heidolph (Eds.).
American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia, PA. pp.
90-97.
IV-2

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Walbridge, C.T., J.T. Fiandt, G.L. Phipps and G.W. Holcombe.
1983. Acute toxicity of ten chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons to
the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Arch. Environ. Contam.
Toxicol. 12:661-666.
IV-3

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SECTION V. EPA CONTACTS
AQUATIC LIFE ADVISORIES
For further information regarding the aquatic life and fish and
water exposure advisories contact:
	 FTS 382-7144 (202)382-7144
	 FTS 475-7315 (202)475-7315
V-l

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