Acid chlorides, coco

Biodegradation in water: screening tests

Description of key information

The parent compounds hydrolyse rapdily in water and form the corresponding acids and HCl. While HCl is inorganic, the acids are considered to be readily biodegradable. The latter was determined by weight-of-evidence. 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Biodegradation in water:

readily biodegradable

Additional information

Acid chlorides, coco

The substance is a mixture of the following components which hydrolyse rapidly in water to form HCl (CAS 7647-01-0) and the corresponding acid.

1) Lauroyl chloride (CAS 112-16-3): >=30 to <=70%
(hydrolysis product: lauric acid, CAS 143-07-7)

2) Tetradecanoyl choride (myristoyl chloride; CAS 112-64-1): >=10 to <=30%
(hydrolysis product: myristic acid, CAS 544-63-8)

3) Palmitoyl chloride (CAS 112-67-4): >=1 to <=20%
(hydrolysis product: palmitic acid, CAS 57-10-3)

4) Decanoyl chloride (CAS 112-13-0): >=1 to <=15%

(hydrolysis product: decanoic acid, CAS 334-48-5)

5) Stearoyl chloride (CAS 112-76-5): >=1 to <=15%

(hydrolysis product: stearic acid, CAS 57-11-4)

6) Octanoyl chloride (CAS 111-64-8): <=1 to <=10%

(hydrolysis product: octanoic acid, CAS 124-07-2)

The assessment of the biodegradation potential of the parent substances may be of low relevance due to the rapid hydrolysis of the acid chlorides in aqueous solution, therefore the assessment is mainly based on the corresponding acids as their hydrolysis products.

 

Experimental data from ready biodegradability tests performed according to OECD or similar guidelines are available for the hydrolysis products octanoic acid (CAS 124 -07 -2; Henkel, 2004, ECHA 2012) and palmitic acid (CAS 57 -10 -3; Henkel, 1994, ECHA, 2012) as well as for lauric acid (CAS 143 -07 -7; ECHA, 2012) and stearic acid (CAS 57 -11 -4; ECHA, 2012). The results indicate that the substances are readily biodegradbale according to OECD criteria.

 

In addition QSAR estimates were calculated with 3 models for each of the hydrolysis compounds. The following models were used to estimate the biodegradability:

1) EPI Suite v4.1, BIOWIN v4.10

2) OASIS CATALOGIC v5.10.8 BOD Kinetic (OECD 301F) beta v.06.07

3) OASIS CATALOGIC v5.10.8 BOD 28 days MITI (OECD 301C) v3.04

 

Only valid data were taken into consideration if information on the applicability domain was given. The following table gives an overview on the experimental and estimated data.

 

Hydrolysis product	CAS no.	Experimental data	Predictions
			CATALOGIC OECD 301F	CATALOGIC OECD 301C	BIOWIN v4.10
Octanoic acid	124-07-2	Key: ready biod. Supp.: biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.
Decanoic acid	334-48-5	no data	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.
Lauric acid / Dodecanoic acid	143-07-7	Key: ready biod. Supp.: ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.
Myristic acid / Tetradecanoic acid	544-63-8	no data	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.
Palmitic acid / Hexadecanoic acid	57-10-3	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.
Stearic acid / Octadecanoic acid	57-11-4	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.	ready biod.

 

In a weight-of-evidence approach using the available experimental and QSAR data, it can be concluded that the hydrolysis products of acid chlorides, coco (CAS 68187 -89 -3) are readily biodegradable according to OECD criteria.