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Environmental fate & pathways

Biodegradation in water: screening tests

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Description of key information

Readily biodegradable: 71.9 - 99.8% (CO2 evolution) after 28 d (OECD 301B) (read-across)

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Biodegradation in water:
readily biodegradable

Additional information

Since no studies investigating the ready biodegradability of fatty acids, C16-18, tetraesters with pentaerythritol (CAS 91050-82-7) are available for this endpoint, in accordance to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 Annex XI, 1.5 a read across to structurally related category membersfatty acids, C16-18 and C18-unsaturated, tetraesters with pentaerythritol (CAS 68604-44-4) andpentaerytritol tetraoleate(CAS 19321-40-5) was conducted. The read-across substances are characterized by the same alcohol component (pentaerythritol) tetra-esterified with longer fatty acid chains (C16 and C18) and can therefore be used for read-across approach since the chain length is the determining factor for biodegradation. The first step of biodegradation is the enzyme-catalysed cleavage of the ester bond by lipase or esterase which are synthesized by a wide range of microorganisms (Boczar et al., 2001). The free fatty acids (C4 to C24 incl. C18 unsatd.) are known to be degraded rapidly and utilized as substrates by activated sludge microorganisms (Kangala & Medrzycka, 2008). The first study was conducted with fatty acids, C16-18 and C18-unsaturated, tetraesters with pentaerythritol (CAS 68604-44-4) according to OECD Guideline 301B under aerobic conditions using non-adapted activated sludge as inoculum (Häner, 2007). A test concentration of 22.8 mg/L (TOC) was applied. Based on CO2 evolution a mean biodegradation of 76 % was observed after 28 days. Hence, the substance is determined to be readily biodegradable according to OECD criteria.

This result is supported by a second GLP-Guideline study with pentaerythritol tetraoleate (CAS-No. 19321-40-5) according to OECD 301B using non-adapted activated sludge as inoculum (Desmares-Koopmans, 1997). A test item concentration of 15.6 mg/L was applied. Based on CO2 evolution biodegradation was observed to be in the range of 71.9 to 99.8 after 28 days. Hence, the substance is determined to be readily biodegradable according to OECD criteria.

Based on the results from structurally related read-across substances (in accordance to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex XI, 1.5) it can be concluded thatfatty acids, C16-18, tetraesters with pentaerythritol (CAS 91050-82-7) is readily biodegradable according to the OECD criteria.

A detailed reference list is provided in the technical dossier (see IUCLID, section 13) and within CSR