3-hydroxypropiononitrile

Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour

Administrative data

Endpoint:

additional information on environmental fate and behaviour

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Documentation sufficient for assessment

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

1983

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Guideline:

other: no guideline followed

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Screening test: Degradation of nitriles by Brevibacteriumsp. R-312

GLP compliance:

not specified

Type of study / information:

preliminary study

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

3-hydroxypropiononitrile

EC Number:

203-704-8

EC Name:

3-hydroxypropiononitrile

Cas Number:

109-78-4

Molecular formula:

C3H5NO

IUPAC Name:

3-hydroxypropanenitrile

Constituent 2

Reference substance name:

Ethylene cyanohydrin

IUPAC Name:

Ethylene cyanohydrin

Details on test material:

- Name of test material (as cited in study report): Nitrile waste liquor
- Substance type: Aliphatic nitriles
- Physical state: liquid
- Composition of test material, percentage of components: Hydroxypropionitril (20%)
Succinonitrile (25%)
Monocyanopropylamine (5%)
Methylglutaronitrile (45%)
Adiponitrile (5%)
- Storage condition of test material: Nitrile waste liquor was contained in tightly capped bottles, stored refrigerated in the dark.

Results and discussion

Any other information on results incl. tables

In the presence of Brevibacterium sp. R-312, a bacterium, Ethylene cyanohydrin present in the waste stream from the adiponitrile process disappears. Disappearance was most effective as waste liquid concentrations of less than two percent (v/v) and at pH of between 7 and 8 (optimum pH for the degradation of various nitriles). Four concentrations of nitrile waste solution were tested, ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 %. Approximate Ethylene cyanohydrin content of the waste solution was 20 %. Ethylene cyanohydrin was degraded to less than one percent of the original in 2 hours at the 0.5 % level. Degradation was also significant up to 1.5 % level. At 2.0 %, however, inhibitory effect was manifest and no degradation was observed for Ethylene cyanohydrin. It is speculated, that the decline of degradation might be due to the presence of toxic substances in the nitrile waste liquor, which reached threshold level and significantly affected acetonitrilase activity (for exemp.: heavy metals). Thus, detailed analysis of the composition of nitrile waste liquor and further research studies have  to be done. Mechanism of degradation: Brevibacterium spR312 has the highest acetonitrilase acticity among their isolates [Rev. Ferment. Ind. Aliment. 36:10-16; 1981]. Due to the activity of this enzyme, aliphatic nitriles are transformed into organic acids in two steps by hydrolysis:  nitril->amid-> carboxylic acid.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

For the following test conditions (pH range from 6/ 7-8 and nitrile (3-Hydroxypropionitrile) concentration lower than 2%):
Due to the acetonitrilase activity of the brevibacterium spR312, the degradation of the aliphatic nitrile to a carboxylic acid has been quite successfull.
After incubation of the nirile waste liquor with the cell suspension of the bacterium at 30°C and for 92 hours, 90-99% degradation was
obtained for 3-Hydroxypropionitrile concentrations from 0,5-1,5% of the nitrile waste liquor.


obtained for 3-Hydroxypropionitrile concentrations from 0,5-1,5% of the nitrile waste liquor.