Reaction products of diethylenetriamine and 2,2'-[(1-methylethylidene)bis(4,1-phenyleneoxymethylene)]bisoxirane

Endpoint summary

Description of key information

A CO2 evolution test was used to assess the ready biodegradability in water of BADGE-EDA. The test item attained 0% biodegradation after 28 days and therefore cannot be considered to be readily biodegradable under the strict terms and conditions of OECD Guideline No. 301B. Care should be taken in the interpretation of the results due to the inhibitory nature of the test item to the activated sewage sludge micro-organisms used in the study. It should also be noted that the test substance is a UVCB containing multiple carbon chain components and as a consequence current biodegradation tests may not be appropriate or the lack of biodegradation was due to the toxicity observed. Although the presence of ester bonds would suggest that the substances may be susceptible to hydrolysis, no degradation was apparent during a ready biodegradability study on BADGE-EDA, thereby suggesting that hydrolysis will not occur. Furthermore, available data on potential hydrolysis products (bisphenol A and the ethylene amines) have shown ready biodegradability (with the exception of triethylenetetramine, which was concluded as not readily biodegradable), providing supporting evidence of no hydrolysis. The substances BADGE-EDA, BADGE-DETA and BADGE-TETA are considered to be inherently biodegradable under conditions whereby toxicity to the sewage sludge micro-organisms does not occur.