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Environmental fate & pathways

Biodegradation in water: screening tests

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Description of key information

Testing is not scientifically justified as substance is hydrolytically unstable. Based on the rapid hydrolysis, and the ready biodegradability and low aquatic toxicity of the known decomposition products, this substance can be considered as readily degradable.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Biodegradation in water:
readily biodegradable

Additional information

Biodegradability testing of this substance is not scientifically justified as it is hydrolytically unstable. When this substance comes in contact with water or moisture, a complete hydrolysis will take place with no significant reaction products other than isopropyl alcohol, ethyl acetoacetate and hydrated titanium dioxides (half-life less than 10 minutes, Brekelmans 2013). In addition, biodegradability testing is not necessary as all the decomposition products have been identified.

The organic degradation products (isopropyl alcohol and ethyl acetoacetate) are also readily biodegradable. TiO2 is inorganic and insoluble and therefore not relevant to be considered for this endpoint.

Several studies have been conducted to assess the biodegradation of isopropyl alcohol in water and treated sewage. Aerobic biodegradation in unadapted sludge was found to be 10.4 % of ThOD after 24 hours (Gerhold and Malaney 1966). Aerobic biodegradation in adapted sludge was measured to be 50 % of ThOD after 23 hours (McKinney and Jeris 1955). The 20-d biodegradation-% of isopropyl alcohol using settled domestic wastewater was 78 % in freshwater and 72 % in synthetic sea water at nominal test concentrations of 3, 7 and 10 mg/l (Price et al. 1974). Based on these studies isopropanol is readily biodegradable under aerobic conditions.

Ethyl acetoacetate is also classified as readily biodegradable based on the closed bottle test results (European Chemical Bureau 2002). The biodegradation after 28-d was 66 %. After 7 days , 65 % ethyl acetoacetate was degraded and 10-day window was fulfilled.

Based on the information on aquatic toxicity and biodegradation of the decomposition products, and the rapid hydrolysis of the target substance, the abiotic degradation can be used to demonstrate fast degradation of this substance for the purposes of C&L.