Fatty acids, C18-unsatd., dimers, oligomeric reaction products with 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane

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:

Experimental start date 05 December 2017. Experimental completion date 03 January 2018

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 301 B (Ready Biodegradability: CO2 Evolution Test)

Deviations:

yes

Remarks:

Please see any other information on materials and methods

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

EU Method C.4-C (Determination of the "Ready" Biodegradability - Carbon Dioxide Evolution Test)

Deviations:

yes

Remarks:

Please see any other information on materials and methods

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

EPA OPPTS 835.3110 (Ready Biodegradability)

Deviations:

yes

Remarks:

Please see any other information on materials and methods

GLP compliance:

yes (incl. QA statement)

Specific details on test material used for the study:

Identification: Fatty acids, C18-unsatd., dimers, polymers with epichlorohydrin
Physical state/Appearance: clear yellow liquid
Batch: 52611021
Purity: not supplied
Expiry Date: 01 December 2018
Storage Conditions: room temperature in the dark

Oxygen conditions:

aerobic

Inoculum or test system:

activated sludge, domestic, non-adapted

Details on inoculum:

Inoculum
A mixed population of activated sewage sludge micro-organisms was obtained on 4 December 2017 from the aeration stage of the Severn Trent Water Plc sewage treatment plant at Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK, which treats predominantly domestic sewage.

Preparation of Inoculum
The activated sewage sludge sample was washed twice by settlement and re-suspension in mineral medium to remove any excessive amounts of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) that may have been present. The washed sample was then maintained on continuous aeration in the laboratory at a temperature of approximately 21 ºC and used on the day of collection. Determination of the suspended solids level of the activated sewage sludge was carried out by filtering a sample (100 mL) of the washed activated sewage sludge by suction through pre-weighed GF/A filter paper using a Buchner funnel. Filtration was then continued for a further 3 minutes after rinsing the filter three successive times with 10 mL of deionized reverse osmosis water. The filter paper was then dried in an oven at approximately 105 ºC for at least 1-Hour and allowed to cool before weighing. This process was repeated until a constant weight was attained. The suspended solids concentration was equal to 2.8 g/L prior to use.

Duration of test (contact time):

28 d

Initial conc.:

13.4 mg/L

Based on:

test mat.

Parameter followed for biodegradation estimation:

CO2 evolution

Details on study design:

Preliminary Solubility Work
Information provided by the Sponsor indicated that the solubility of the test item in water was negligible. Therefore preliminary solubility/dispersibility work was performed in order to determine the most suitable method of preparation.
From the preliminary solubility work and following the recommendations of the International Standards Organisation (ISO 10634, (1995)) it was concluded that the best testable dispersions was found to be obtained when using the high shear mixing, high shear mixing with silica gel, and a preliminary solvent stock solution with filter paper methods. As there was no difference in the appearance of the test dispersions using these methods it was considered appropriate to use high shear mixing alone in order to disperse the test item in the test system.

Test Item Preparation
The test item was dispersed directly in mineral medium.
An amount of test item (40.2 mg) was dispersed in approximately 400 mL of mineral medium with the aid of high shear mixing (approximately 7500 rpm, 15 minutes) prior to dispersal in inoculated mineral medium. The volume was adjusted to 3 liters to give a final concentration of 13.4 mg/L, equivalent to 10 mg carbon/L.
A test concentration of 10 mg carbon/L was employed in the test following the recommendations of the Test Guidelines.

Reference Item Preparation
A reference item, sodium benzoate (C6H5COONa), was used to prepare the procedure control vessels. An initial stock solution of 1000 mg/L was prepared by dissolving the reference item directly in mineral medium. An aliquot (51.4 mL) of this stock solution was added to the test vessel containing inoculated mineral medium and the volume adjusted to 3 liters to give a final test concentration of 17.1 mg/L, equivalent to 10 mg carbon/L. The volumetric flask containing the reference item was inverted several times to ensure homogeneity of the solution.

Toxicity Control
A toxicity control, containing the test item and sodium benzoate, was prepared in order to assess any toxic effect of the test item on the sewage sludge micro-organisms used in the test.
An amount of test item (40.2 mg) was dispersed in approximately 400 mL of mineral medium with the aid of high shear mixing (approximately 7500 rpm, 15 minutes) prior to dispersal in inoculated mineral medium. An aliquot (51.4 mL) of the sodium benzoate stock solution was also added to the test vessel and the volume adjusted to 3 liters to give a final concentration of 13.4 mg test item/L plus 17.1 mg sodium benzoate/L, equivalent to a total of 20 mg carbon/L.

Preparation of Test System
The following test preparations were prepared and inoculated in 5 liter test culture vessels each containing 3 liters of solution:
a) An inoculated control, in duplicate, consisting of inoculated mineral medium.
b) The procedure control containing the reference item (sodium benzoate), in duplicate, in inoculated mineral medium to give a final concentration of 10 mg carbon/L.
c) The test item, in duplicate, in inoculated mineral medium to give a final concentration of 10 mg carbon/L.
d) The test item plus the reference item in inoculated mineral medium to give a final concentration of 20 mg carbon/L to act as a toxicity control (one vessel only).
Data from the inoculum control and procedure control vessels was shared with similar concurrent studies.
Each test vessel was inoculated with the prepared inoculum at a final concentration of 30 mg suspended solids (ss)/L. The test was carried out in a temperature controlled room at temperatures of between 20 and 25 °C, in darkness.
Approximately 24 hours prior to addition of the test and reference items the vessels were filled with 2400 mL of mineral medium and 32.1 mL of inoculum and aerated overnight. On Day 0 the test and reference items were added and the pH of all vessels measured using a Hach HQ40d Flexi handheld meter. The pH was adjusted to pH 7.4 ± 0.2 using diluted hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide solution prior to the volume in all the vessels being adjusted to 3 liters by the addition of mineral medium which had been purged overnight with CO2 free air.
The test vessels were sealed and CO2-free air bubbled through the solution at a rate of 30 to 100 mL/min per vessel and stirred continuously by magnetic stirrer.
The CO2-free air was produced by passing compressed air through a glass column containing self-indicating soda lime (Carbosorb®) granules.
The CO2 produced by degradation was collected in two 500 mL Dreschel bottles containing 350 mL of 0.05 M NaOH. The CO2 absorbing solutions were prepared using purified water.

Reference substance:

benzoic acid, sodium salt

Key result

Parameter:

% degradation (CO2 evolution)

Value:

28

Sampling time:

28 d

Results with reference substance:

Sodium benzoate attained 111% biodegradation after 14 days with greater than 60% degradation being attained in a 10-Day window. After 28 days 115% biodegradation was attained. Biodegradation values in excess of 100% were considered to be due to sampling/analytical variation. These results confirmed the suitability of the inoculum and test conditions and satisfied the validation criterion given in the OECD Test Guidelines.

Validation Criteria and Biodegradation

The total CO2 evolution in the inoculum control vessels on Day 28 was 30.38 mg/L and therefore satisfied the validation criterion given in the OECD Test Guidelines.

The IC content of the test item suspension in the mineral medium at the start of the test was below 5% of the TC content and hence satisfied the validation criterion given in the OECD Test Guidelines.

The difference between the values for CO2 production at the end of the test for the replicate vessels was <20% and hence satisfied the validation criterion given in the OECD Test Guidelines.

Acidification of the test vessels on Day 28 followed by the final analyses on Day 29 was conducted according to the methods specified in the Test Guidelines. This acidification effectively kills the micro-organisms present and drives off any dissolved CO2 present in the test vessels. Therefore any additional CO2 detected in the Day 29 samples originated from dissolved CO2 that was present in the test vessels on Day 28 and hence the biodegradation value calculated from the Day 29 analyses is taken as being the final biodegradation value for the test item.

The results of the inorganic carbon analysis of samples from the first absorber vessels on Day 29 showed an increase in all replicate vessels with the exception of inoculum control Replicate 1, test item Replicate 2 and the toxicity control.

Inorganic carbon analysis of the samples from the second absorber vessels on Day 29 confirmed that no significant carry-over of CO2 into the second absorber vessels occurred.

The test item attained 28% biodegradation after 28 days and therefore cannot be considered to be readily biodegradable under the strict terms and conditions of OECD Guideline No. 301B.

The toxicity control attained 54% biodegradation after 14 days and 60% biodegradation after 28 days thereby confirming that the test item did not exhibit an inhibitory effect on the sewage treatment micro-organisms used in the test.

Percentage Biodegradation Values

Day	% Biodegradation
	Procedure Control	Test Item	Toxicity Control
0	0	0	0
2	62	2	25
6	76	5	36
8	84	6	41
10	95	4	51
14	111	22	54
21	112	17	54
28	110	28	63
29*	115	28	60

Validity criteria fulfilled:

yes

Interpretation of results:

not readily biodegradable

Conclusions:

The test item attained 28% biodegradation after 28 days and therefore cannot be considered to be readily biodegradable under the strict terms and conditions of OECD Guideline No. 301B.

Executive summary:

Introduction

A study was performed to assess the ready biodegradability of the test item in an aerobic aqueous medium. The method followed was designed to be compatible with the OECD Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals (1992) No. 301B, "Ready Biodegradability; CO2 Evolution Test" referenced as Method C.4-C of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 440/2008 and US EPA Fate, Transport, and Transformation Test Guidelines OCSPP 835.3110 (Paragraph (m)).

Methods

The test item, at a concentration of 10 mg carbon/L, was exposed to activated sewage sludge micro-organisms with mineral medium in sealed culture vessels in the dark at temperatures of between 20 and 25 °C for 28 days.

The biodegradation of the test item was assessed by the determination of carbon dioxide produced. Control solutions with inoculum and the reference item, sodium benzoate, together with a toxicity control were used for validation purposes.

Results

The test item attained 28% biodegradation after 28 days and therefore cannot be considered to be readily biodegradable under the strict terms and conditions of OECD Guideline No. 301B.

Description of key information

The test item attained 28% biodegradation after 28 days and therefore cannot be considered to be readily biodegradable under the strict terms and conditions of OECD Guideline No. 301B.