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EC number: 287-484-9 | CAS number: 85536-04-5
Sediment toxicity
Administrative data
Link to relevant study record(s)
Description of key information
Based on all the available information, toxicity to sediment organisms is not expected to be of concern.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Additional information
No experimental data evaluating the toxicity of thetarget substance Fatty acids, C16-18, stearyl esters (CAS 85536-04-5) to sediment organisms are available. However, the substance is characterized by poor water solubility (< 0.507 mg/L, 20 °C, OECD 105) and only negligible discharge to the aquatic environment is expected to occur via sewage treatment plants (STPs) due to: a) the ready biodegradability and b) the high adsorption properties of the substance, resulting in an effective removal in sewage treatment plants. Whatever fraction should still reach the water compartment is expected to undergo rapid and ultimate degradation and the remainder will adsorb to organic soil and sediment particles where sediment organisms are potentially exposed via feed and contact with suspended organic particles. However, based on the physico-chemical properties, the bioavailability of the substance is expected to be low due to its strong binding behavior. Therefore, chronic exposure of sediment organisms is unlikely. Furthermore, the substance is not toxic to aquatic organisms up to the limit of water solubility.
Based on all the available information, toxicity to sediment organisms is therefore not expected to be of concern.
Intrinsic properties and fate
Fatty acids, C16-18, stearyl esters (CAS 85536-04-5)is readily biodegradable. According to the Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment, Chapter R.7b (ECHA, 2017), readily biodegradable substances can be expected to undergo rapid and ultimate degradation in most environments, including biological STPs. Therefore, only low concentrations of this substance are expected to be released into the environment, if at all.
Furthermore,Fatty acids, C16-18, stearyl esters (CAS 85536-04-5)has an estimated log Koc of > 5.0 and is poorly soluble in water (< 0.507 mg/L, 20 °C, OECD 105). The Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment, Chapter R.7b (ECHA, 2017) states that once insoluble chemicals enter a standard STP, they will be extensively removed in the primary settling tank and fat trap and thus, only limited amounts will get in contact with activated sludge organisms. Thus, discharge into the aqueous/sediment compartment is likely to be negligible and chronic exposure of sediment organisms is improbable.
Aquatic ecotoxicity
According to the available short-term toxicity data for fish, aquatic invertebrates and algae, as well as long-term toxicity data for aquatic algae,Fatty acids, C16-18, stearyl esters (CAS 85536-04-5)is not expected to cause acute or chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms up to its limit of water solubility (< 0.507 mg/L). Moreover, due to the low water solubility, it is highly unlikely that relevant, bioavailable concentrations of the test item will ever occur in the water phase, i.e. that concentrations high enough to induce any measurable acute or chronic effects in aquatic organisms are ever attained.
Furthermore, no toxic effects on activated sludge microorganisms were recorded. Significant deviations from this overall ecotoxicological profile are not expected and it is thus concluded thatFatty acids, C16-18, stearyl esters (CAS 85536-04-5) is unlikely to cause toxic effects to sediment organisms.
Conclusion
Due to ready biodegradability and high adsorption, only negligible concentrations of the target substance are expected to be discharged into water bodies, if at all. Whatever fraction is released is expected to rapidly degrade or adsorb to particles of sediment and soil where sediment organisms are potentially exposed via feed and contact with suspended organic particles. However, based on the physico-chemical properties of the substance (i.e. strong binding behaviour), bioavailability is expected to be low. If uptake should occur, extensive and fast biotransformation of the substance and its metabolites is expected by the action of carboxylesterases.
Furthermore, the available aquatic toxicity data suggest that no toxic effects occur up to the limit of water solubility. Moreover, due to the extremely low water solubility of the substance, relevant concentrations of the substance are not expected to ever be attained in water. Therefore, it is concluded thatFatty acids, C16-18, stearyl esters (CAS 85536-04-5)does not pose a risk to sediment organisms.
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