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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

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Environmental fate & pathways

Hydrolysis

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Description of key information

TEA-Esterquats are characterized by hydrophobic parts of the moieties “R” linked to the charged head group via ester bonds R-C(O)O-and are therefore expected to be subject to degradation by chemical or biological hydrolysis. This is supported by the test on hydrolysis for partially unsaturated TEA-Esterquat. Half-lives of 17 (pH 7) and 11.3 d (pH 9) were deduced from the reaction rate constants at 25 °C. Di- and mono-ester were detected as degradation products.

According to REACH regulation (Annex VIII, 9.2.2.1 column 2) a hydrolysis test does not need to be conducted if the substance is readily biodegradable. As the TEA-Esterquats are determined to be readily biodegradable, biodegradable under anaerobic conditions and under different environmental conditions (water, sewage treatment plants) a study on hydrolysis is considered to be not necessary.

 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Half-life for hydrolysis:
11.3 d
at the temperature of:
25 °C

Additional information

TEA-Esterquats possess ester links introduced into the head-group of the molecules, which have the quality that they are susceptible to biodegradation as well as hydrolysis. According to REACH regulation (Annex VIII, 9.2.2.1 column 2) a hydrolysis test does not need to be conducted if the substance is readily biodegradable. As the TEA-Esterquats are determined to be readily biodegradable, biodegradable under anaerobic conditions and under different environmental conditions (water, sewage treatment plants) a study on hydrolysis is considered to be not necessary. However a study on hydrolysis as a function of pH was performed according to OECD 111 (2004). At pH 4 and 50 °C, the degradation of the main component of partially unsaturated TEA-Esterquat was less than 10 % over a period of 120 h. The corresponding half-life at 25 °C is therefore assumed to be above one year (default assumption acc. to guidelines). In contrast, at pH 7 and 9 and 50 °C, more than 10 % of the test item were hydrolysed within 120 h. Based on the results, half-lives of 17 d (pH 7) and 11.3 d (pH 9) were deduced from the reaction rate constants at 25 °C. Di- and mono-ester were detected as degradation products.