Registration Dossier
Registration Dossier
Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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.
Use of this information is subject to copyright laws and may require the permission of the owner of the information, as described in the ECHA Legal Notice.
EC number: 946-260-7 | CAS number: -
Biodegradation in soil
Administrative data
Link to relevant study record(s)
Description of key information
Biodegradation in soil
A test on biodegradation of tallow alkyl amine by soil microorganisms is available (Akzo Nobel, 1996). The bacteria were pre-adapted to the amine and isolated from soil. In two parallel tests, elimination percentages of 27 and 34% were determined after 2 days, while after 4 weeks 58 and 84% were eliminated. The test demonstrates that soil microorganisms are capable to degrade the amines. Because of the insufficient documentation and the probably unsuitable test system, the rates cannot be used for the exposure assessment.
According the REACH Guidance Document R.16 for the degradation rate in soil, the biodegradation half-life for a readily biodegradable substance depends on the sorption constant of the substance to soil e.g. if the Kpsoil is < 100 L/kg a half-life of 30 days is assigned. As the Kpsoil of 1-Octadecanamine was determined as 697 L/kg the assigned half-life would be 300 days. In reality also strongly sorbed substances may be biodegraded rapidly in soil as is demonstrated with the results from an Aerobic soil transformation study OECD 307.
An OECD 307 aerobic soil transformation study (3 soils) was carried out with [1-14C]-Hexadecanamine (Clariant, 2010). Although this C16 amine is strongly sorbing to soil (median Kpsoil of 3875 L/kg at lowest measured concentration) the following half-lives at 20 degree C were determined
Soil 1 t1/2 = 9.0 d
Soil 2 t1/2 = 8.1 d
Soil 3 t1/2 = 8.9 d
The recovery of the applied radiactivity was in the range of 91.2 -94.9%.
The median Half-life of 8.9 d at 20 degree C corresponds to a median Half-life of 16.9 d at an environmental temperature of 12 degree C (see REACH Guidance). This study demonstrates that 1-Hexadecanamine (C16 amine) is rapidly degraded in various soils and that the assumption of low degradation rates for strongly sorbing substances is unjustified.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
- Half-life in soil:
- 16.9 d
- at the temperature of:
- 12 °C
Additional information
Information on Registered Substances comes from registration dossiers which have been assigned a registration number. The assignment of a registration number does however not guarantee that the information in the dossier is correct or that the dossier is compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the REACH Regulation). This information has not been reviewed or verified by the Agency or any other authority. The content is subject to change without prior notice.
Reproduction or further distribution of this information may be subject to copyright protection. Use of the information without obtaining the permission from the owner(s) of the respective information might violate the rights of the owner.
