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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Environmental fate & pathways

Endpoint summary

Administrative data

Description of key information

Information available indicates that this category can be considered readily biodegradable.

Additional information

Diesel / gas oil fractions are not readily biodegradable but are considered inherently biodegradable. In a report on environmental classification (Concawe 2001), it was concluded that, based on the known properties of hydrocarbons in the range C9 to C26,diesel/gas oil fractions are not readily biodegradable, but are regarded as being inherently biodegradable, since they can be degraded by micro-organisms.

In a further investigation (Concawe 2012) on PBT evaluation of petroleum substances CONCAWE developed QSAR estimates (BioHCwin) and reviewed existing data for individual hydrocarbons representative of the various ‘hydrocarbon blocks’ covering a range of petroleum substances. Using the Hydrocarbon Block method and data on biodegradation of representative hydrocarbons in the range C9 to C26, it is concluded that diesel / gas oil fractions do not meet the persistence criteria and can be regarded as being inherently biodegradable.

Degradation was achieved at varying levels in the available tests. Two tests indicate that the substance is readily biodegradable (ignoring the 10 day window). As the 10 day window is not relevant to UVCB substances, therefore the substance is considered readily biodegradable. A study indicates that this category is not readily biodegradable (Canale, 1999).

Concawe 2001: Environmental classification of petroleum substances - summary data and rational. Report No 01/54. Concawe Brussels.

Concawe 2012: An evaluation of the Persistence, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Petroleum Hydrocarbons (revised), May 2012

Biodegradation in water and sediment, simulation test:

Substance is a hydrocarbon UVCB. Standard tests for this endpoint are intended for single substances and are not appropriate for this complex substance. However, this endpoint is characterized using quantitative structure property relationships for representative hydrocarbon structures that comprise the hydrocarbon blocks used to assess the environmental risk of this substance with the PETRORISK model (see Product Library in PETRORISK report attached in IUCLID section 13).

Biodegradation in soil:

Substance is a hydrocarbon UVCB. Standard tests for this endpoint are intended for single substances and are not appropriate for this complex substance. However, this endpoint is characterized using quantitative structure property relationships for representative hydrocarbon structures that comprise the hydrocarbon blocks used to assess the environmental risk of this substance with the PETRORISK model (see Product Library n PETRORISK report attached in IUCLID section 13).