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Environmental fate & pathways

Hydrolysis

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Description of key information

Parent compound: In contact with water, the substance will hydrolyse slowly. Under alkaline conditions the substance will hydrolyse rapidly.

Hydrolysis product formic acid: The hydrolysis of the formic acid is not expected. In addition, the substance is readily biodegradable according to OECD criteria.

Hydrolysis product methanol: The substance is readily biodegradable according to OECD criteria.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Additional information

Parent compound (CAS 107-31-3)

According to the available hydrolysis study for the substance, Methyl formates' susceptibility to hydrolysis increases with pH as well as with temperature. The hydrolysis half-life ranges from 410 h at pH 4 and 20 °C to less than 1 hour at pH 9 and 25 °C (OECD 111, BASF SE, 2010). Therefore, it can be concluded, that under environmentally relevant conditions (pH 7-9) the hydrolysis will be the major fate process of the methyl formate due to the short half-life in aqueous solution.

The predicted hydrolysis products formic acid and methanol were identified by gas chromatography using marker standards.

Hydrolysis product formic acid (CAS 64-18-6):

In the hydrolysis study of formic acid, no hydrolysis could be observed at pH 4, 7 and 9 at 50°C during the whole study of 4 days (BASF, 2002, 02L00109). In addition, the substance is readily biodegradable according to OECD criteria.

Therefore, it can be concluded, that the hydrolysis of the formic acid is not expected.

Hydrolysis product methanol (CAS 67-56-1):

Methanol (CAS 67-56-1) is readily biodegradable in freshwater and marine water (Price et al. 1974; Wagner 1976). Therefore, no study on hydrolysis does not need to be conducted and the hydrolysis of methanol is not expected.