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Environmental fate & pathways

Biodegradation in soil

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Reference
Endpoint:
biodegradation in soil, other
Type of information:
experimental study
Adequacy of study:
key study
Reliability:
2 (reliable with restrictions)
Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
other: Non-GLP, available as unpublished report, minor restrictions in design and/or reporting but otherwise adequate for assessment
Qualifier:
no guideline followed
Principles of method if other than guideline:
The fate of C14-labeled test substance in four different soils has been examined under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the presence and absence of ‘Gramoxone’.The rates of application were 11 and 115 times the expected maximum field rate resulting in application of ca. 48.5 and 490 g/ha test substance and 47.6 g/ha test substance when applied in combination with ‘Gramoxone’. The radioactivity evolved from the soils as volatile compounds and the radioactivity remaining in the soils have been measured and analysed at intervals.
GLP compliance:
no
Test type:
laboratory
Radiolabelling:
yes
Oxygen conditions:
aerobic/anaerobic
Soil classification:
other: New Jersey System
Soil no.:
#1
Soil type:
other: Coarse Sandy Loam ("Peartree 6")
% Clay:
16
% Silt:
18
% Sand:
66
% Org. C:
4.9
pH:
6.5
CEC:
17 meq/100 g soil d.w.
Soil no.:
#2
Soil type:
other: Coarse Sandy Loam ("Peartree 7")
% Clay:
20
% Silt:
15
% Sand:
65
% Org. C:
6.3
pH:
7
CEC:
20 meq/100 g soil d.w.
Soil no.:
#3
Soil type:
other: Coarse Sandy Loam ("Peartree 8")
% Clay:
23
% Silt:
18
% Sand:
59
% Org. C:
4.2
pH:
7.7
CEC:
16.6 meq/100 g soil d.w.
Soil no.:
#4
Soil type:
other: coarse sand ("Lilyfield")
% Clay:
2
% Silt:
3
% Sand:
95
% Org. C:
1.3
pH:
5.7
CEC:
1.6 meq/100 g soil d.w.
Details on soil characteristics:
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION:
- Peartree 6,7, and 8: Jealott's Hill Farm, Bracknell, Berkshire, England. Ordnance Survey sheet No. 159
- Lilyfield: Wishanger Farm, Chirt, Hampshire, England. Ordnance Survey sheet No. 169

EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMME AND INCUBATION OF SOILS:
The soils were incubated in enclosed systems under a stream of moist air at a constant temperature of 25 ± 1 °C.

PROPERTIES OF SOILS:
Moisture at 1/3 atm: Peartree 6, 19.5%; Peartree 7, 24.9%; Peartree 8, 22.2%; lilyfield, 4.4%.
Soil No.:
#4
Duration:
38 d
Soil No.:
#3
Duration:
38 d
Soil No.:
#2
Duration:
38 d
Soil No.:
#1
Duration:
38 d
Initial conc.:
ca. 48.45 g/ha d.w.
Based on:
other: Low dose: Maximum filed application rate is expected to be 4.25 g/ha. 48.45/4.25 = 11.4 times the expected application rate
Initial conc.:
ca. 47.6 g/ha d.w.
Based on:
other: Low dose applied in combination with Gramoxone.: Maximum filed application rate is expected to be 4.25 g/ha. 47.6/4.25 = 11.2 times the expected application rate.
Initial conc.:
ca. 490.03 g/ha d.w.
Based on:
other: High dose: Maximum filed application rate is expected to be 4.25 g/ha. 490.03/4.25 = 115.3 times the expected application rate.
Parameter followed for biodegradation estimation:
radiochem. meas.
Details on experimental conditions:
EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMME AND THE INCUBATION OF THE SOILS:
The soils were incubated in enclosed systems under a stream of moist air at a constant temperature of 25 ± 1 °C.
% Degr.:
<= 15
Parameter:
radiochem. meas.
Sampling time:
38 d
Transformation products:
no
Details on results:
RECOVERY OF RADIOACTIVITY:
Recovery of radioactivity as percentage of radioactivity applied to soil:
- Methanol extraction: 100.0, 75.9, 77.9, and 63.6 on day 0, 10, 18, and 38, respectively.
- Methanol : water: 10.2, 9.9, and 13.6 on day 10, 18, and 38 respectively.
- Water: 1.7, 2.7, and 2.7 on day 10, 18, and 38 respectively.
- Combustion: 5.9, 8.3, and 7.7 on day 10, 18, and 38 respectively.
- Trapping solutions: 0.2, 0.4, and 0.7 on day 10, 18, and 38 respectively.
- Total*: 100.0, 93.9, 99.2, and 88.3 on day 0, 10, 18, and 38, respectively.

*Within accepted experimental error these figures represent a quantitative recovery.

RECOVERY OF RADIOACTIVITY FROM SOXHLET EXTRACTION OF THE SOILS IN METHANOL:
- “peartree 7”(low aerobic): 100, 76, 78, and 64 on day 0, 10, 18, and 38, respectively.
- “Lilyfield”(low, aerobic): 100, 86, 81, 73 on day 0, 10, 18, and 38, respectively.
- “peartree 7”(low, waterlogged): 100, 79, and 65 on day 0, 18, and 38, respectively.
- “peartree 7”(low, plus Gramoxone aerobic): 100, 79, and 60 on day 0, 10, and 38, respectively.
- “Lilyfield”(low, plus Gramoxone aerobic): 89, 80, and 74 on day 10, 18, and 38, respectively.
- “peartree 7”(high, aerobic): 78 and 75 on day 18, 38, respectively.
- “Lilyfield”(high, aerobic): 78 and 73 on day 18, 38, respectively.

The percentage of such extractable radioactivity decreased with increasing time of incubation.

THE FATE OF THE TEST SUBSTANCE IN AEROBIC AND WATERLOGGED SOILS:

THE EVOLUTION OF VOLATILE DEGRADATION PRODUCTS.
The only ‘trapping’ solution found to contain significant amounts of radioactivity during the study was the first ethanolamine solution.

The radioactivity evolved as 14CO2 from soils under various conditions which had been treated with 14C labelled test substance:
- “Peartree 6” (low) 0.04, 0.10, 0.22, 0.47, and 1.23 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Peartree 7”(low) 0.02, 0.09, 0.24, 0.38, and 0.68 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Peartree 8”(low) 0.05, 0.17, 0.54, 1.30, and 2.22 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Lilyfield” (low) <0.01, 0.02, 0.08, 0.11, and 0.15 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Peartree 7”(low, waterlogged) <0.01, 0.03, 0.09, 0.13, and 0.22 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Peartree 7”(low, plus Gramoxone) <0.02, 0.07, 0.20, 0.34, and 0.52 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Lilyfield” (low plus Gramoxone) <0.01, 0.03, 0.06, 0.20, and 0.20 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Peartree 7”(high) <0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.06, and 0.15 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.
- “Lilyfield” (high) <0.01, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.10 on day 1, 4, 10, 18 and 38, respectively.

The presence or absence of ‘Gramoxone’ had no significant effect on the evolution of 14CO2. More 14CO2 was evolved from ‘Peartree’ soils than the ‘Lilyfield’ soil (after 38 days 15 times more 14CO2 had been evolved from the ‘Peartree 8’ soil than the ‘Lilyfield’ soil). The evolution of 14CO2 from the waterlogged soil was much lower than that found with soil incubated under aerobic conditions. The percentage of 14CO2 evolved from the high-rate applications are lower than those obtained from the low rate applications.

RESIDUAL RADIOACTIVITY IN THE SOILS:
The autoradiograms of the chromatograms of the methanol extracts of the “Peartree 7” and “Lillyfield” soils revealed no significant degradation of the test substance. Nearly all (ca. 85%) of the chromatographed radioactivity was present as parent material after 38 days.
Chloroform, methanol (9:1) resolved compound 2 (less polar than the test substance) which was not separated using ethyl acetate. For days 0, 18, and 38 the mean recoveries were 71, 70 and 73% respectively. The percentages presented as the test substance and compound II did not change during the experiment. Thus compound II must be regarded as a chromatographic or solution artifact since its concentration did not increase.
Conclusions:
The test substance was not significantly degraded in biologically active soils over a period of 38 days. There were no significant amounts of volatile 14C-labeled products evolved (less than 2.5% of the applied radioactivity) over the same period. However, the proportion of “bound” radioactivity not extractable with methanol increased throughout the incubation period. This had increased to about 25% of the applied activity after 38 days.
Executive summary:

The fate of C14-labeled test substance in four different soils has been examined under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the presence and absence of 'Gramoxone'. The rates of application were 11 and 115 times the expected maximum field rate resulting in application of ca. 48.5 and 490 g/ha test subtance and 47.6 g/ha test substance when applied in combination with 'Gramoxone'. The test substance was not significantly degraded in biologically active soils over a period of 38 days. There were no significant amounts of volatile 14C-labeled products evolved (less than 2.5% of the applied radioactivity) over the same period. However, the proportion of “bound” radioactivity not extractable with methanol increased throughout the incubation period. This had increased to about 25% of the applied activity after 38 days.

Description of key information

The test substance was not significantly degraded in biologically active soils over a period of 38 days.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Additional information

The fate of C14 labelled test substance in four different soils has been examined under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the presence and absence of ‘Gramoxone’. The rates of application were 11 and 115 times the expected maximum field rate resulting in application of ca. 48.5 and 490 g/ha test substance and 47.6 g/ha test substance when applied in combination with ‘Gramoxone’. The test substance was not significantly degraded in biologically active soils over a period of 38 days. There were no significant amounts of volatile 14C-labelled products evolved (less than 2.5% of the applied radioactivity) over the same period. However, the proportion of “bound” radioactivity not extractable with methanol increased throughout the incubation period. This had increased to about 25% of the applied activity after 38 days.