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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

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Diss Factsheets

Ecotoxicological information

Endpoint summary

Administrative data

Description of key information

Additional information

The data on effects of phenol on terrestrial soil organisms is presented in EU RAR (2006) in Section 3.2.3 (Terrestrial compartment, page 44ff). It is stated that the effect concentrations given in the references are corrected for a standard soil with a content of organic matter of 3.4%, where possible. For earthworms and plants only results from acute tests are available. The Eisenia foetida 14-day LC50 of 136 mg/kg dry weight is uses for the calculation of the PNEC soil.

Tests were performed with soil macroorganisms (earthworms, non-target arthropods), plants and microorganisms. For earthworms (Eisenia foetida) a mortality test is available. For non target arthropods (Acrididae: Acrotylus patruelis) a test covering egg deposition, hatching of larvae and development of larvae to adults was performed. Furthermore a seedling emergence test with plants (Latuca sativa) and tests with microorganisms (dehydrogenase, N-mineralisation) are available. Only one plant was tested in soil. But due to further results with further plants in aqueous medium, the EC50 is regarded as representative for monocotyledone and dicotyledone plants.

For terrestrial arthropds only an invalide study with grasshoppers is available. However, in Annex IX of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, it is laid down that toxicity tests in terrestrial arthropds shall be proposed by the registrant if the chemical safety assessment indicates the need to investigate further the effects on soil organisms. According to Annex I of this regulation, the chemical safety assessment triggers further action when the substance or the preparation meets the criteria for classification as dangerous according to Directive 67/548/EEC or Directive 1999/45/EC or is assessed to be a PBT or vPvB. The hazard assessment of phenol reveals neither a need to classify the substance as dangerous to the environment, nor is it a PBT or vPvB substance, nor are there any further indications that the substance may be hazardous to the environment. Due to the low adsorptivity of phenol, its ready and anaerob biodegradability adirect and indirect exposure of soil toward phenol is unlikely. This is supported by the distribution modelling (distribution model according to Mackay, level 1) resulting in only 0.2 % of phenol released into the environment to be expected in the soil compartment. Therefore, toxicity studies with terrestrial arthropods do not need to be conducted.

Following results were achieved:

Earthworms: LC50 - 401 mg/kg (considering a standard content of organic matter of 3.4 % an EC50 of 136 mg/kg is calculated)

Plants: EC50 - 79 mg/kg (considering a standard content of organic matter of 3.4 %, an EC50 of 149 mg/kg is calculated)

Microorganisms: EC10 - 100 mg/kg (no content of organic matter is reported, therefore no recalculation of an EC50 based on a start content of organic matter is possible).

According to the EU RAR (2006), the risk characterisation is based on PECsoil local for soils without direct entry for phenol (1.35 µg/kg) and for soils after application of sewage sludge+deposition (21 µg/kg) and on a PNEC from short-term tests (AF 1000) resulted in a PEC/PNEC < 1. Furthermore, phenol is classified as "readily biodegradable" and the half-life for biodegradation in soil was found to be between 7 and 30 days. Therefore, further long-term tests with soil invertebrates are not considered to be necessary.