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EC number: 203-398-6 | CAS number: 106-44-5
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data

Biodegradation in water: screening tests
Administrative data
Link to relevant study record(s)
- Endpoint:
- biodegradation in water: ready biodegradability
- Type of information:
- experimental study
- Adequacy of study:
- key study
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- test procedure in accordance with generally accepted scientific standards and described in sufficient detail
- Principles of method if other than guideline:
- Degradation test under anaerobic conditions
- GLP compliance:
- no
- Oxygen conditions:
- anaerobic
- Inoculum or test system:
- anaerobic sludge
- Initial conc.:
- 50 mg/L
- Based on:
- DOC
- Parameter:
- % degradation (CH4 evolution)
- Value:
- 96
- Sampling time:
- 60 d
- Details on results:
- RS-Freetext:
lag time 7 days
net total gas production was 96 +/- 4.3 % of the theoretical production (CH4 + CO2)
Degradation products: yes
Degradation products (CAS No./EC No./EINECS Name): 74-82-8 200-812-7 methane - Validity criteria fulfilled:
- not specified
- Interpretation of results:
- other: mineralized
- Conclusions:
- p-Cresol is mineralized under methanogenic conditions by anaerobic sludges from wastewater treatment plants.
- Executive summary:
p-Cresol is mineralized under methanogenic conditions by anaerobic sludges from wastewater treatment plants.
- Endpoint:
- biodegradation in water: inherent biodegradability
- Type of information:
- experimental study
- Adequacy of study:
- key study
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- test procedure in accordance with national standard methods with acceptable restrictions
- Qualifier:
- equivalent or similar to guideline
- Guideline:
- OECD Guideline 302 B (Inherent biodegradability: Zahn-Wellens/EMPA Test)
- Deviations:
- yes
- Remarks:
- minor deviations
- GLP compliance:
- not specified
- Oxygen conditions:
- aerobic
- Inoculum or test system:
- activated sludge, adapted
- Details on inoculum:
- 100 mg/L dry weight
- Initial conc.:
- 200 mg/L
- Based on:
- COD
- Details on study design:
- Test compound was sole source of carbon
- Parameter:
- other: COD removal
- Value:
- 96
- Sampling time:
- 5 d
- Details on results:
- Initial degradation rate: 55.0 mg COD/g/h
- Validity criteria fulfilled:
- not specified
- Interpretation of results:
- inherently biodegradable
- Conclusions:
- p-Cresol is inherently degradable as shown by a test according to the OECD guideline 302 B with a removal of 96 % after 5 days of incubation.
- Executive summary:
p-Cresol is inherently degradable as shown by a test according to the OECD guideline 302 B with a removal of 96 % after 5 days of incubation.
- Endpoint:
- biodegradation in water: ready biodegradability
- Type of information:
- experimental study
- Adequacy of study:
- key study
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- test procedure in accordance with national standard methods with acceptable restrictions
- Qualifier:
- equivalent or similar to guideline
- Guideline:
- other: method development for ASTM anaerobic biodegradation
- Deviations:
- not specified
- GLP compliance:
- no
- Oxygen conditions:
- anaerobic
- Inoculum or test system:
- anaerobic sludge
- Details on inoculum:
- primary anaerobic sludge from 12 treatment plants receiving mainly domestic waste water were diluted to 10% in a mineral salts medium: test substance concentration 30 mg/l;
secondary anaerobic sludge from 2 treatment plants diluted to 10% in a mineral salts medium: test substance 50 mg/l - Initial conc.:
- >= 30 - <= 50 mg/L
- Based on:
- test mat.
- Parameter followed for biodegradation estimation:
- CH4 evolution
- Parameter followed for biodegradation estimation:
- CO2 evolution
- Details on study design:
- 35 °C, due to storage of sludges before incubation, lag phase of methanogenesis could be increased in some sludges
- Parameter:
- % degradation (CH4 evolution)
- Value:
- 62 - 101
- Sampling time:
- 8 wk
- Remarks on result:
- other: primary sludges
- Parameter:
- other: methane and CO2 production
- Value:
- 51 - 121
- Sampling time:
- 8 wk
- Remarks on result:
- other: secondary sludges
- Details on results:
- primary sludges:
degradation ranged from 62 to 101% in 11 sludges (lag times for approx. 20% of theoretical CH4 production: 2-5 weeks; insufficient data for 1 sludge
secondary sludges:
degradation was 51% after 4 weeks lag-phase with the first sludge and 121% after 3 weeks lag-phase with the second (degradation related to theoretical methane and CO2 production)
Degradation products (CAS No./EC No./EINECS Name): 74-82-8 200-812-7 methane - Validity criteria fulfilled:
- not specified
- Interpretation of results:
- other: anaerobically biodegradable
- Conclusions:
- p-Cresol is also anaerobically biodegradable. As measured from methane release and carbon dioxide formation, p-cresol is mineralized under methanogenic conditions by anaerobic sludges from wastewater treatment plants.
- Executive summary:
p-Cresol is also anaerobically biodegradable. As measured from methane release and carbon dioxide formation, p-cresol is mineralized under methanogenic conditions by anaerobic sludges from wastewater treatment plants.
- Endpoint:
- biodegradation in water: inherent biodegradability
- Type of information:
- experimental study
- Adequacy of study:
- key study
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- guideline study without detailed documentation
- Qualifier:
- according to guideline
- Guideline:
- OECD Guideline 302 B (Inherent biodegradability: Zahn-Wellens/EMPA Test)
- Deviations:
- no
- GLP compliance:
- not specified
- Oxygen conditions:
- aerobic
- Inoculum or test system:
- activated sludge, industrial, adapted
- Details on inoculum:
- acclimatization 2 d
- Duration of test (contact time):
- 10 d
- Initial conc.:
- >= 50 - <= 400 mg/L
- Based on:
- DOC
- Initial conc.:
- >= 200 - <= 1 000 mg/L
- Based on:
- COD
- Parameter:
- % degradation (DOC removal)
- Value:
- 100
- Sampling time:
- 10 d
- Details on results:
- 90 % degradation during the log-phase (8 d)
- Validity criteria fulfilled:
- not specified
- Interpretation of results:
- inherently biodegradable
- Conclusions:
- p-Cresol is inherently degradable as shown by a test according to the OECD guideline 302 B where 100 % of the added p-cresol were degraded within 10 days after a lag-period of 2 days.
- Executive summary:
p-Cresol is inherently degradable as shown by a test according to the OECD guideline 302 B where 100 % of the added p-cresol were degraded within 10 days after a lag-period of 2 days.
- Endpoint:
- biodegradation in water: ready biodegradability
- Type of information:
- experimental study
- Adequacy of study:
- key study
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- study well documented, meets generally accepted scientific principles, acceptable for assessment
- Principles of method if other than guideline:
- Method: other: batch culture study in seawater
- GLP compliance:
- no
- Oxygen conditions:
- aerobic
- Inoculum or test system:
- other: marine bacteria
- Parameter:
- % degradation (test mat. analysis)
- Value:
- 50
- Sampling time:
- 13.5 d
- Details on results:
- t1/2 = 295 h (100 µg/l)
t1/2 = 215 h (500 µg/l)
t1/2 = 325 h (1000 µg/l)
Doubling time of population
85 h (100 µg/l)
40 h (500 µg/l)
31 h (1000 µg/l)
Degradation products: not measured - Validity criteria fulfilled:
- not specified
- Interpretation of results:
- readily biodegradable
- Conclusions:
- p-Cresol is readily biodegradable in seawater.
- Executive summary:
p-Cresol is readily biodegradable in seawater.
- Endpoint:
- biodegradation in water: ready biodegradability
- Type of information:
- experimental study
- Adequacy of study:
- key study
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- other: Study comparable to OECD Guideline 301C
- Qualifier:
- equivalent or similar to guideline
- Guideline:
- OECD Guideline 301 C (Ready Biodegradability: Modified MITI Test (I))
- Deviations:
- yes
- Remarks:
- Voith sapromat B12
- GLP compliance:
- no
- Oxygen conditions:
- aerobic
- Inoculum or test system:
- activated sludge, domestic (adaptation not specified)
- Details on inoculum:
- Minicipal sewage sludge with initial cell concentration: 30 mg/l
- Duration of test (contact time):
- 20 - 40 d
- Initial conc.:
- 100 mg/L
- Based on:
- test mat.
- Reference substance:
- aniline
- Remarks:
- 100 mg/L
- Parameter:
- % degradation (O2 consumption)
- Value:
- 80 - 95
- Sampling time:
- 40 d
- Remarks on result:
- other: readily biodegradable
- Details on results:
- The oxygen uptake curves are not reported. However, the authors state that all test compounds revealed the lag phase, biodegradation phase and the plateau region within a period of 10 days, indicating that the 10-day window criteria is met.
first order biodegradation constant (hr-1): ln k = -5.87
maximum specific substrate uptake rate per unit biomass km = 18.5 / day (Aniline 16.1, Phenol 16.9)
p-Cresol is slightly better biodegradable than phenol and aniline - Results with reference substance:
- degradation of reference substance aniline >=60 % within 28 days
- Validity criteria fulfilled:
- yes
- Interpretation of results:
- readily biodegradable
- Conclusions:
- In a test according to OECD Guideline 301 C (Ready Biodegradability: Modified MITI Test (I)), 80 to 95 % of p-cresol were degraded within 40 days. p-Cresol was slightly better biodegradable than phenol and aniline supporting the conclusion that it is readily biodegradable
- Executive summary:
In a test according to OECD Guideline 301 C (Ready Biodegradability: Modified MITI Test (I)), 80 to 95 % of p-cresol were degraded within 40 days. p-Cresol was slightly better biodegradable than phenol and aniline supporting the conclusion that it is readily biodegradable.
Referenceopen allclose all
RS-Freetext: lag time 7 days net total gas production was 96 +/- 4.3 % of the theoretical production (CH4 + CO2) Degradation products: yes Degradation products (CAS No./EC No./EINECS Name): 74-82-8 200-812-7 methane
Incubation period 20-40 days; no oxygen uptake curve given
Description of key information
p-Cresol is readily biodegradable under aerobic conditions in freshwater. It is inherently biodegradable, and anaerobically biodegradable.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
- Biodegradation in water:
- readily biodegradable
Additional information
Serveral experiments on biodegradability are available for p-cresol.
In tests according to OECD Guideline 301 C (Ready Biodegradability: Modified MITI Test (I)), 80 to 95 % of p-cresol were degraded within 40 d.
Biodegradation of p-cresol was also tested in seawater where it was biodegradable as well.
The inherent degradability of p-cresol was studied in two different tests. Using an adapted activated sludge, p-cresol degraded to 96 % within 5 days and 100% after within 10 days.
p-Cresol is also anaerobically biodegradable. As measured from methane release and carbon dioxide formation, and m- and p-cresol are mineralized under methanogenic conditions by anaerobic sludges from wastewater treatment plants.
Although the substance is readily biodegradable and no biodegradation simulation test has to be performed for sediments, there are studies available on biodegradation in sediments. p-Cresol is biodegraded in aquifer sediment under anaerobic conditions and by anoxic river sediment within 3-4 weeks.
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