Acrolein is rapidly metabolized by organisms and does not bioaccumulate. The highest environmental concentrations of acrolein not directly released during its application as a pesticide in Canada have been measured in air from urban areas. With the exception of samples taken in the vicinity of pesticidal application, acrolein has not been detected in water, sediment or soil in Canada. Acute and chronic data on toxicity are available for aquatic organisms and laboratory animals. Only acute data were identified for terrestrial crop plants.
Terrestrial organisms appear less sensitive to acrolein than aquatic organisms.
Known concentrations of acrolein in the Canadian atmosphere are less than the threshold for adverse effects estimated for terrestrial organisms. Exposure of other organisms to non-pesticidal acrolein is considered unlikely, since no sources or detectable concentrations of acrolein have been identified in other compartments. Acrolein is not involved in stratospheric ozone depletion and is not an important contributor to climate change or photochemical smog formation. Hence, for comparison with Tolerable Concentrations for both inhalation and ingestion, exposures via these routes have been assessed separately. Tolerable Concentrations are the concentrations to which it is believed that a person may be exposed continuously without deleterious effect.