Environmental risk assessment for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane - is there a risk for the aquatic environment?

We evaluated the High Production Volume (HPV)-compound 1,2,3-trichloropropane regarding its potential environmental impact by exploiting available data and by using the applicable EU guidelines for the risk assessment of new and existing substances. Consequently, a risk quotient of <1 was established by employing the PEC (predicted environmental concentration) and the PNEC (predicted no effect concentration) estimated from the data at our disposal. We do assume that a severe risk for the aquatic environment is not to be expected although long-term toxic effects cannot be entirely excluded for this compartment. No data were identified concerning the toxic effects exhibited by this compound upon terrestrial invertebrates or higher plants. Unfortunately, available ecotoxicological studies evaluating the inhibition of soil bound microbial activity by 1,2,3-trichloropropane were not sufficient to support a reliable risk characterization for the terrestrial compartment.