Web Release Date: August 8,
Aquatic Toxicity of Nine Aircraft
Deicer and Anti-Icer Formulations
and Relative Toxicity of Additive
Package Ingredients Alkylphenol
Ethoxylates and
4,5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazoles
and
U.S. Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, Wisconsin 53718, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705
Received for review February 15, 2006
Revised manuscript received June 25, 2006
Accepted June 30, 2006
Abstract:
Characterization of the effects of aircraft deicer and anti-icer fluid (ADAF) runoff on aquatic organisms in receiving streams is a complex issue because the identities of numerous toxic additives are proprietary and not publicly available. Most potentially toxic and endocrine disrupting effects caused by ADAF are due to the numerous additive package ingredients which vary among manufacturers and types of ADAF formulation. Toxicity investigations of nine ADAF formulations indicate that endpoint concentrations for formulations of different manufacturers are widely variable. Type IV ADAF (anti-icers) are more toxic than Type I (deicers) for the four organisms tested (Vibrio fischeri, Pimephales promelas, Ceriodaphnia dubia, and Selenastrum capricornutum). Acute toxicity endpoint concentrations ranged from 347 to 7700 mg/L as ADAF for Type IV and from 1550 to 45 100 mg/L for Type I formulations. Chronic endpoint concentrations ranged from 70 to 1300 mg/L for Type IV and from 37 to 18 400 mg/L for Type I formulations. Alkylphenol ethoxylates and tolyltriazoles are two known classes of additives. Nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylates, octylphenol, octylphenol ethoxylates, and 4,5-methyl-1H-benzotriazoles were quantified in the nine ADAF formulations, and toxicity tests were conducted with nonylphenol ethoxylates and 4,5-methyl-1H-benzotriazoles. Toxicity units computed for glycol and these additives, with respect to toxicity of the ADAF formulations, indicate that a portion of ADAF toxicity can be explained by the known additives and glycols, but much of the toxicity is due to unidentified additives.
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