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Environmental fate & pathways

Biodegradation in water: screening tests

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Description of key information

Readily biodegradable: 67% afer 28 d (OECD 301C)

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Biodegradation in water:
readily biodegradable

Additional information

Since no studies investigating the ready biodegradability of Fatty acids, C8-10, C8-10 alkyl esters (CAS 129677-93-6) are available for this endpoint, in accordance to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex XI, 1.5 a read across to the structurally related source substance Tetradecanoic acid, tetradecyl ester (CAS 3234-85-3) was conducted. The read-across substance is representative to evaluate the biodegradation of the target substance. Tetradecanoic acid, tetradecyl ester is characterized by a longer fatty acid chain length (C14) and a longer fatty alcohol chain length (C14) compared to the target substance. It can thus be used for read-across as a worst case approach since the chain length of the fatty alcohol and the fatty acid are the determining factor for biodegradation. Moreover, reliable (Q)SAR data performed for the target substance indicate that the substance is readily biodegradable.

The study with the source substance Tetradecanoic acid, tetradecyl esterwas performed according to OECD 301C (GLP) under aerobic conditions using a mixture of activated sludge from STP with freshwater from rivers and lakes, marine water and marine sediment as inoculum (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan, 1992). The test substance (100 mg/L) was degraded to and extent of 67% (BOD) after 28 d. Since the substance reached the pass level for OECD 301C (biodegradation is > 60% after 28 d, no 10-day window required) tetradecanoic acid, tetradecyl ester is readily biodegradable according to the OECD criteria.

Supporting (Q)SAR predictions using VEGA v1.0.8 showed that the main components of the UVCB target substance are readily biodegradable. The prediction of the C10 fatty acid/C10 alcohol component is valid and reliable as the constituent is within the training set of the model. Similar molecules with experimental data were found within the training set showing that the substance is readily biodegradable. This result supports the experimental study with a structurally very similar source substance as discussed above. Moreover, this constituent represents a worst case as it is the largest constituent of the substance.

Based on the results from one structurally related source substance (in accordance to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex XI, 1.5) in combination with reliable (Q)SAR data for the target substance it can be concluded that Fatty acids, C8-10, C8-10 alkyl esters is readily biodegradable according to the OECD criteria.