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Diss Factsheets

Environmental fate & pathways

Biodegradation in water: screening tests

Currently viewing:

Administrative data

Endpoint:
biodegradation in water: ready biodegradability
Type of information:
experimental study
Adequacy of study:
key study
Study period:
No data
Reliability:
2 (reliable with restrictions)
Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
other: 2a: Guideline study without detailed documentation
Cross-reference
Reason / purpose for cross-reference:
reference to same study

Data source

Referenceopen allclose all

Reference Type:
other: Peer-reviewed database
Title:
Biodegradation and bioconcentration of existing chemical substances under the chemical substances control law
Author:
MITI
Year:
1981
Bibliographic source:
http://www.safe.nite.go.jp/english/sougou/view/ComprehensiveInfoDisplay_en.faces, CAS n° 140-29-4
Reference Type:
other: Peer-reviewed database
Title:
Data bank of environmental properties of chemicals
Author:
Kemikaali
Year:
2010
Bibliographic source:
http://wwwp.ymparisto.fi/scripts/Kemrek/Kemrek.asp, CAS n° 140-29-4, Finnish Environment Insitute

Materials and methods

Test guideline
Qualifier:
according to guideline
Guideline:
OECD Guideline 301 C (Ready Biodegradability: Modified MITI Test (I))
Deviations:
yes
Remarks:
2 weeks instead of 28 days
GLP compliance:
not specified

Test material

Constituent 1
Chemical structure
Reference substance name:
Phenylacetonitrile
EC Number:
205-410-5
EC Name:
Phenylacetonitrile
Cas Number:
140-29-4
Molecular formula:
C8H7N
IUPAC Name:
2-phenylacetonitrile
Details on test material:
No data
Specific details on test material used for the study:
Details on properties of test surrogate or analogue material (migrated information):
No data

Study design

Oxygen conditions:
not specified
Inoculum or test system:
activated sludge (adaptation not specified)
Details on inoculum:
- Concentration of sludge: 30 ppm
No further data
Duration of test (contact time):
2 wk
Initial test substance concentration
Initial conc.:
100 other: ppm
Parameter followed for biodegradation estimationopen allclose all
Parameter followed for biodegradation estimation:
O2 consumption
Parameter followed for biodegradation estimation:
TOC removal
Details on study design:
No data

Results and discussion

Preliminary study:
No data
Test performance:
No data
% Degradationopen allclose all
Parameter:
% degradation (O2 consumption)
Value:
77
Remarks on result:
other: Indirect analysis
Parameter:
% degradation (TOC removal)
Value:
96
Remarks on result:
other: Direct analysis
Parameter:
% degradation (O2 consumption)
Value:
100
Remarks on result:
other: value determined by converting the amount of the product phenylacetic acid to the amount of phenylacetonitrile
Details on results:
No further data

BOD5 / COD results

Results with reference substance:
No data

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Validity criteria fulfilled:
not specified
Interpretation of results:
readily biodegradable
Conclusions:
Under the test conditions, according to indirect analysis 77% (BOD) and according to direct analysis 96% (TOC) and 100% (value determined by converting the amount of the product phenylacetic acid to the amount of phenylacetonitrile) of phenylacetonitrile was degradated after 2 weeks in a OECD guidline 301C test. Thus the substance should be considered as readily biodegradable according to the EC regulation n°1272/2008 and the former 67/548/EC regulation.
Executive summary:

The authors tested the biodegradability of phenylacetonitrile (CAS n° 140-29-4) according to the OECD guideline 301C. They tested 100 ppm of the substance in a 30 ppm concentration of activated sludge using standard equipment. After two weeks 77% of the test substance was biodegradated according to indirect analysis (BOD) and according to direct analysis 96% (TOC) and 100% (value determined by converting the amount of the product phenylacetic acid to the amount of phenylacetonitrile). Thus phenylacetonitrile should be considered as readily biodegradable.

No data was available on the GLP procedure during this test. Few details are available, as a result the validity criteria could not be checked. However considering that the authors followed the OECD guideline 301C and reported the main information, the study should be considered as reliable with restrictions ( Guideline study without detailed documentation).