Oxalacetic acid

Biodegradation in water: screening tests

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

biodegradation in water: ready biodegradability

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

May 2017 - June 2017

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 301 D (Ready Biodegradability: Closed Bottle Test)

Deviations:

no

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

EU Method C.4-E (Determination of the "Ready" Biodegradability - Closed Bottle Test)

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

EPA OPPTS 835.3110 (Ready Biodegradability)

GLP compliance:

yes (incl. QA statement)

Oxygen conditions:

aerobic

Inoculum or test system:

activated sludge, domestic, non-adapted

Details on inoculum:

- Source of activated sludge: sewage plant for domestic sewage in Balatonfüred, Hungary, on 26 April 2017
- Storage length: 7 days
- Preparation of inoculum for exposure: washed by centrifugation and the supernatant liquid phase was decanted. The solid material was re-suspended in isotonic saline solution and again centrifuged. This procedure was repeated twice. An aliquot of the final sludge suspension was weighed, dried and the ratio of wet sludge to its dry weight was determined. Based on this ratio, calculated aliquots of washed sludge suspension, corresponding to 5 g dry material per litre was mixed with test water (mineral medium, see above) and then aerated under test conditions (for 7 days) until use. The pH of the activated sludge inoculum after preparation was 7.14, just before use: 7.32. A pH adjustment of activated sludge inoculum was not performed.
- Pretreatment: Pre-conditioning (26 April-03 May 2017) consisted of aerating (2 L/minute) activated sludge (in mineral medium) at the test temperature (the actual temperature: 20.0 – 21.1 °C). During the aeration the cell count of inoculum was checked as follows: the viability of the cultured sludge was determined by plating 0.1 mL of the different, usually 10E-1, 10E-2, 10E-3 and 10E-4 dilutions of cultures on nutrient agar plates. The viable cell number of the cultures was determined by these plating experiments by manual colony counting. During the pre-conditioning the approximately cell count of aerated inoculum was in the range of ~10E8 - 10E10/L; therefore, before the test the inoculum was further diluted 100 000 x with mineral medium to reach the necessary 10E5 - 10E6 cells/L cell concentration. After preparation the sludge was filtered through cotton wool. Pre-conditioning improved the precision of the test methods by reducing blank values.

Duration of test (contact time):

28 d

Initial conc.:

8 mg/L

Based on:

test mat.

Initial conc.:

4.88 other: mg O2/L

Based on:

ThOD

Parameter followed for biodegradation estimation:

DOC removal

Details on study design:

TEST CONDITIONS
- Composition of medium: Mineral medium according to OECD 301 D
- Additional substrate: no
- Solubilising agent: no
- Test temperature: 20.0 - 20.9 °C
- pH: 7.63
- pH adjusted: no
- Aeration of dilution water: for 20 min
- DOC: 8.90 mg/L
- Illumination: no

TEST SYSTEM
- Culturing apparatus: Winkler bottles (300 mL, coded) with special neck and glass stoppers
- Number of culture flasks/concentration: 16 (+ 2 reserve) bottles
- Method used to create anaerobic conditions: bottles completely filled and tightly closed
- Measuring equipment: Oxygen and pH meter with appropriate O2 and pH electrode
- Test performed in open system: no

SAMPLING
- Sampling frequency: in all duplicate bottles in all groups on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28
- Sampling method: Oxygen measurements

CONTROL AND BLANK SYSTEM
- Inoculum blank: Only filtered inoculum was added to the aqueous test medium
- Procedure control: sodium benzoate with aqueous test medium
- Toxicity control: Test and reference item with aqueous test medium

Reference substance:

benzoic acid, sodium salt

Preliminary study:

In a 14-day preliminary experiment the solubility, behavior and toxicity of the test item were tested. The test design was the same as described at the main experiment. In the preliminary experiment the test item was investigated at the concentration of 10 mg/L. No toxic effect of the test item was found at this investigated concentration.

Key result

Parameter:

% degradation (DOC removal)

Value:

86

Sampling time:

28 d

Details on results:

The test item biodegradation was above the pass level of 60 % of ThOD on the 3rd day of the test (65.1 % on day 3) consequently fulfilled the criterion for ready biodegradability since it surely reached the pass level of 60 % of ThOD in a 10-day window within the 28-d period of the test.
The 10-day window calculation is based on the biological observations. Based on the obtained values the test item is considered to be ready biodegradable.

Results with reference substance:

The percentage degradation of the reference item reached the level for ready biodegradability (> 60 %) by exposure day 14 (The percentage degradation of the reference item was 82.9 % on the 14th day).

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Interpretation of results:

readily biodegradable

Conclusions:

The test item is considered to be ready biodegradable, since it fulfilled the pass level for ready biodegradability that is the removal of 60 % ThODNH4 in a 10-day window.

Executive summary:

The ready biodegradation test was conducted according to the test method OECD 301 D (Closed Bottle Test). The test item was exposed to activated sludge from the aeration tank of a domestic waste water treatment plant in completely full and closed bottles in the dark at controlled temperature (22 ± 2 °C) for 28 days. The biodegradation was followed by the oxygen uptake of the microorganisms during exposure. All validity criteria of the study were met. Under the test conditions ready biodegradation of this test item was noticed. The percentage biodegradation of Oxaloacetic acid reached a mean of 86.0 % after 28 days based on its ThODNH4. The 10-day window criterion for ready biodegradation was unequivocally fulfilled, more than 60 % biodegradation of the test item (65.1 %, based on its ThODNH4) was observed on the 3rd day of the test

Description of key information

The test item is considered to be ready biodegradable, since it fulfilled the pass level for ready biodegradability that is the removal of 60 % ThODNH4 in a 10-day window (reference 5.2.1 -1).

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Biodegradation in water:

readily biodegradable

Additional information

The ready biodegradation test was conducted according to the test method OECD 301 D (Closed Bottle Test). The test item was exposed to activated sludge from the aeration tank of a domestic waste water treatment plant in completely full and closed bottles in the dark at controlled temperature (22 ± 2 °C) for 28 days. The biodegradation was followed by the oxygen uptake of the microorganisms during exposure. All validity criteria of the study were met. Under the test conditions ready biodegradation of this test item was noticed. The percentage biodegradation of Oxaloacetic acid reached a mean of 86.0 % after 28 days based on its ThODNH4. The 10-day window criterion for ready biodegradation was unequivocally fulfilled, more than 60 % biodegradation of the test item (65.1 %, based on its ThODNH4) was observed on the 3rd day of the test.