Isoflurane
Summary
Persistence. Isoflurane is potentially persistent.
Bioaccumulation. Isoflurane has low potential for bioaccumulation.
Toxicity. Isoflurane has low chronic toxicity.
Risk. The use of isoflurane (sales data Sweden 2022) has been considered to result in insignificantenvironmental risk.
This summary information comes from fass.se.
Detailed information
Fass environmental information Sedaconda
Fass environmental information for Sedaconda (isoflurane) from Sedana Medical (retrieved on 2025-07-09). Isoflurane is metabolised to trifluoroacetic acid.
Hazard
Persistence: Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a metabolite of isoflurane, is not readily biodegradable and is not expected to hydrolyse under environmental conditions. As TFA is not readily biodegradable and no degradation data are available for isoflurane, isoflurane is classified as potentially persistent.
Bioaccumulation: The octanol/water partition coefficient indicates that trifluoroacetic acid is not expected to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. A QSAR-estimated log Dow value for isoflurane is 2.06 at pH 7. Since log P is < 4 for both TFA and isoflurane, the substance is classified as: "Isoflurane has low potential for bioaccumulation."
Chronic toxicity: There are data for 3 trophic levels, most sensitive alg ErC10 5600 microg/L.
Risk
PEC/PNEC is based on sales data in Sweden in year 2020.
PEC = 0.000043 microg/L.
PNEC = Lowest NOEC, 5600 microg/L/50 (Assessment Factor (AF) for 2 chronic studies) = 112 microg/L.
PEC/PNEC = 3.8 x 10-7 which gives the risk insignificant.
Fass environmental information Isofluran Baxter
Fass environmental information for Isofluran Baxter (retrieved on 2025-07-09).
Hazard
Persistence: Isoflurane and its metabolite TFA are not readily biodegradable. TFA showed 0% degradation in 28 days (OECD 301D) and is persistent in aquatic environments. No reliable simulation studies are available. Therefore, isoflurane is classified as potentially persistent.
Bioaccumulation: No BCF studies are available for isoflurane or TFA. Isoflurane has a log Dow of 2.06 at pH 7; TFA has –2.4. Both substances are considered to have low potential for bioaccumulation.
Toxicity: There are data for 3 trophic levels, most sensitive alg EC10 5600 microg/L.
Risk
PEC/PNEC is based on sales data in Sweden in year 2022.
PEC = 0.000031 microg/L
PNEC = Lowest NOEC, 5600 microg/L/50 (Assessment Factor (AF) for 2 chronic studies) = 112 microg/L.
PEC/PNEC = 0.00000028 which gives the risk insignificant.
References
Author: Health and Medical Care Administration, Region Stockholm