Registration Dossier

Diss Factsheets

Environmental fate & pathways

Biodegradation in water: screening tests

Currently viewing:

Administrative data

Link to relevant study record(s)

Description of key information

Fatty acids, C18-unsaturated, trimers (CAS No. 68937-90-6) does not meet the OECD criteria for ready biodegradability (<10 %).

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Additional information

Three guideline studies investigating the ready biodegradability of Fatty acids, C18-unsaturated, trimers (CAS No. 68937-90-6) are available. The first study was conducted according to the "ASTM D 5864-95 Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Aquatic Biodegradation of Lubricants or Their Components" (Batch Processing Sturm Test) using activated sludge which was pre-adapted to the test substance. Due to the use of pre-adapted sludge the test cannot fulfill the OECD criteria for readily biodegradability. Nevertheless, as the biodegradation of the test substance was < 10 % at test termination after 28 days, Fatty acids, C18-unsaturated, trimers (CAS No. 68937-90-6) is in any case determined to be not readily biodegradable under test conditions according to OECD criteria (O'Leary, 1999). A second GLP, OECD 301B study using domestic non-adapted activated sludge once again confirmed that the biodegradation of the test substance was < 10 % at test termination after 28 days (Kelly, 2002). Finally, a third test with seawater according to OECD 306 corroborates the results of the above mentioned ASTM test, showing a degradation of 11 % after 28 days (Andersen, 2005).

Thus, Fatty acids, C18-unsaturated, trimers (CAS No. 68937-90-6) is not readily biodegradable under conditions tested according to OECD criteria.