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Environmental fate & pathways

Biodegradation in soil

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Description of key information

Sodium 2-methylpropan-2-olate hydrolyses in water and forms sodium hydroxide and tert-butanol. Whereas inorganic substances can not biodegrade, tert-butanol demonstrated to be biodegradable, yet not readily biodegradable according to OECD criteria. Hence the performance of a biodegradation test in soil is not considered to be required.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Additional information

No data on the biodegradation of the test item in soil are available. However, further biotic degradation testing shall be proposed if the chemical safety assessment according to Annex I indicates the need to investigate further degradation of the substance and its degradation products. Tert-butanol, the organic hydrolysis product of sodium 2-methylpropan-2-olate, was found to be biodegradable in a CO2-Headspace test (78% degradation after 28 days, 10-day window failed). It is assumed that the results of simulation studies would not reveal any different findings. Therefore, biodegradation studies in soil are not provided.