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Chloroform

Report

To read the report please click here.

This marine risk assessment was also published in a peer-reviewed journal: Zok, S. et al., 1998. Euro Chlor risk assessment for the marine environment Osparcom region: North Sea – chloroform. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 53, (3), 401-424.

Summary

Current usage of chloroform poses low risk to the marine environment in the North Sea. This conclusion is based on 50 aquatic toxicity studies, together with 1991-95 North Sea analytical monitoring results.

Applications of chloroform

Some 95% of chloroform sales in the EU are for manufacture of other chemicals, accounting for 240,259 tonnes in 1995. The main application is the manufacture of HCFC 22, and through this substance, chloroform is also an important building block for fluorinated polymers and copolymers. Other applications as a feedstock are in the synthesis of dyestuffs, pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

Chloroform is also used as a solvent, for example in the extraction of penicillin and other antibiotics, and for pesticides, fats, oils, rubbers, alkaloids and waxes. Applications as a process agent accounted for a total of 5% of sales, or 12,428 tonnes in 1995.

Europe is a net exporter of chloroform, exporting 20-30,000 tonnes per year. The product is made in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Total EU capacity is about 316,000 tonnes.

Evaluation of environmental risk

For chloroform, the evaluation of toxicity was based on 10 sets of data for algae, 17 for invertebrates and 23 for fish in both marine and freshwater media. These were assessed using the environmental quality criteria recommended by the European authorities. Both acute and chronic toxicity studies were taken into account, and the appropriate assessment factors were used to define a final Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) value of 72 µg/litre. Due to limitations of the studies evaluated, a conservative PNEC of 1 µg/l could also be used.

Monitoring measurements were taken in the UK (Tees, Solent and other estuaries), the Netherlands (Schelde/Maas, Rhine estuary), France (Seine estuary) and Germany (Elbe and Weser estuaries, Ostsee coasts), and in the North-East Atlantic Ocean.

The most recent data (1991-95) support a typical PEC of 0.2 µg chloroform/l water and a worst case PEC of 5 to 11.5 µg/l water. Data on persistence of chloroform show a half-life in water of a few hours or days, and negligible bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms. Chloroform is not a substance which should be considered as being persistent, toxic and liable to bioaccumulate (PTB) in the environment.

Conclusion

When the environmental concentration of chloroform in rivers and coastal waters/estuaries is compared with the predicted no-effect level to give the PEC/PNEC ratio, there is a safety margin of 6-360 between actual exposure and the level at which no effect on the environment would be expected. This calculation takes no account of any further dilution within the sea, which would increase these safety margins. However, a conservative worst case ratio, using a PNEC of 1 µg/l, points to a potential risk for sensitive species. Refinement of the assessment by looking for more data is necessary.

This evaluation was done as a parallel exercise with the on-going European Risk Assessment, the scope of which is broader and covers all compartments.

North Sea monitoring data on chloroform