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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Ecotoxicological information

Toxicity to microorganisms

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Administrative data

Link to relevant study record(s)

Description of key information

Testing is not scientifically justified as this substance is hydrolytically unstable and the decomposition products possess low aquatic toxicity. The read-across result of the 4-h toxicity threshold of ethanol to Paramaecium caudatum (mortality); 5800 mg/l, based on the nominal concentrations, is used as key value in CSA.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

EC50 for microorganisms:
5 800 mg/L

Additional information

As the target substance hydrolyses immediately (half-life < 5 minutes, Brekelmans M.J.C. 2013) the toxicity to microorganisms is related to this main organic degradation product (ethanol) of the target substance. According to the ECHA Guidance R7b & R10, in absence of activated respiration test, toxicity results to microbial bacteria can be used for evaluate the inhibitory effects of chemicals to STP micro-organisms.

A number of studies have been carried out to assess the toxicity of ethanol to micro-organism using multiple species of protozoa and bacteria in fresh water. These studies that are reliable indicate that the substance may be slightly toxic to micro-organisms. The weight of evidence suggested that the substance is generally of low toxicity. The growth inhibition study of P. putida was around the middle of the toxicity results. Ciliated protozoa are acceptable as surrogates to predict the toxicity in a WWTP; Paramecium meets this criteria. The lowest toxicity response is selected as the key value in CSA and used to calculate the PNEC STP.