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Description of key information

Olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues is characterized as comprising long chain alcohols of which the main constituents are icosan-1-ol and docosan-1-ol.  In accordance with Column 2 of REACH Annex VIII, the activated sludge respiration inhibition study (required in Section 9.1.4) does not need to be conducted as the substance and its constituents is readily biodegradable and the applied test concentrations are in the range that can be expected in the influent to a sewage treatment plant.

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Additional information

Olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues is a by-product of the C20 alcohols manufacturing process. It is a UVCB substance that comprises several linear long chain alcohols, predominantly docosan-1-ol (C22), tetracosan-1-ol (C24), hexacosan-1-ol (C26) and eicosan-1-ol (C20). Together, these substances make up over 80% of the composition of olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues. Other constituents include, to a much lesser extent, secondary long chain alcohols and complex mixtures of long chain carboxylate esters. On this basis, study data, where available, for each of the long chain alcohol constituents has been evaluated and considered together; this is consistent with the Category approach applied for Long Chain Alcohols (LCA) under REACH.  In a conservative approach the most sensitive study result from the constituents of the LCA category have been identified and used to address the endpoint in question.

In accordance with Column 2 of REACH Annex VIII, the activated sludge respiration inhibition study (required in Section 9.1.4) does not need to be conducted as the substance is readily biodegradable as detailed below and the applied test concentrations are in the range that can be expected in the influent to a sewage treatment plant. 

Biodegradation

Reliable studies (Klimisch score 2) were performed in accordance with OECD Guideline 301B (Ready Biodegradability: CO2 Evolution Test) on two primary constituents of olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues, icosan-1-ol and docosan-1-ol. 88.4% and 87.9% of icosan-1-ol and docosan-1-ol respectively degraded after 28 days with an unacclimated sewage sludge inoculum. The test substances also achieved 60% degradation within the 10-day window indicating ready biodegradability.  In two reliable studies by Flach (2012), the degradation of 2-decyltetradecanol and docosan-1 -ol were 84.9% and 87.5%, respectively, after 28 days with the degradation rate reaching more than 60% within the 10-day window. As these constituents are readily biodegradable, olefines polymers, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues can also be regarded as readily biodegradable. Minor residual constituents which include ethers and esters are also expected to degrade rapidly. It should be noted that these minor residual constituent degradation products of olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues are unlikely to be chemicals that might be a cause for concern.

The findings are consistent with very high levels of removal in other types of test systems where very fast degradation and metabolism in microorganisms and a range of trophic levels has been identified for alcohols in the range C6-24. Ready biodegradability means that the test substance will rapidly be unavailable for uptake and bioaccumulation in biological organisms.

In summary, the data requirement for microorganism studies is waived on the evidence of ready biodegradability and the applied test concentrations are in the range that can be expected in the influent to a sewage treatment plant.