PW03 Plant Toxicology and Soil Interactions
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Wednesday, 12 November 2003
(PW059) Vapor-phase toxicity testing with butyl benzyl phthalate and three species of plants.
Staples, C1, Brown, D2, Peterson, D3, Robillard, K4, Bradlee, C5, Gorsuch, J4, Diefenbach, R6, 1 Assessment Technologies, Inc., Fairfax, VA2 ECPI, Paignton, UK3 ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, NJ4 Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY5 BASF Corporation, Wyandotte, MI6 Infracor GmbH, Marl, Germany
ABSTRACT- Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) is a plasticizer commonly used for vinyl flooring and other similar building materials. BBP has a very low vapor pressure at ambient conditions (0.0012 Pa, 25 degrees C). Trace amounts of BBP can be measured adjacent to local manufacturing sites (about 0.5 microgram/m3) where BBP is added to vinyl at elevated temperatures to make the building materials. In addition, some considerably smaller concentrations on a regional scale can be predicted to be present in the atmosphere using multi-media modeling (about 10 nanogram/m3). These regional concentrations have also been confirmed by analysis. Due to potential exposure to plant communities, laboratory testing of vapor-phase BBP was conducted. The apparatus consists of closed chambers in which plants are maintained, while vapor-phase BBP is drawn through the system for three weeks. Plant growth is measured and the appearance of the plant is recorded. The vapor phase phytotoxicity assessment was carried out on three dicotyledonous plant species: mustard (Brassica alba), Chinese cabbage (Brassica erectus pekinensis = Brassica campestris var. chinensis) and white clover (Trifolium repens). Results of the initial limit test will be used to define a second test that will more closely refine the no-effect concentration of vapor-phase BBP using the most sensitive plant species. Advantages and disadvantages of the testing procedures will be discussed and the overall practicality of vapor-phase testing of chemicals with very low vapor pressures will be reviewed. The results will be further presented in terms of potential risks to sensitive plants in the environment.
Key words: mustard Brassica alba, plasticizer, Chinese cabbage B. erectus pekinensis, white clover Trifolium repens