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Ecotoxicological information

Sediment toxicity

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Description of key information

Olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues is characterised as comprising long chain alcohols with the main constituents being icosan-1-ol and docosan-1-ol. The REACH requirement in Annexes XI for studies on sediment organisms is waived based on technical difficulties associated with conducting studies, the ready biodegradability of the test substance and its constituents, and no toxicity in aquatic organisms.  No reliable measured ecotoxicity data are available for sediment organisms.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

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 Annex XI, section 2, the long-term toxicity effects studies to sediment dwelling organisms (required in Section 9.5.1) do not need to be conducted as the study is technically not possible, readily biodegradable and exerts low to no toxicity to aquatic organisms. The technical infeasibility is due to the very short sediment half-life once desorbed (see CSR for further details), which do not allow for the studies to be conducted. No reliable predicted or measured toxicity to sediment organism’s data are available for olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues. The requirement to conduct sediment studies for this substance is being waived based on technical infeasibility, ready biodegradation and low toxicity to aquatic organisms as detailed below.

Study not technically feasible

The requirement to conduct long-term sediment toxicity studies for olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues is waived due to anticipated technical difficulties in performing such a test. The requirement to conduct long-term toxicity studies for long chain alcohols, such as icosan-1-ol and docosan-1-ol, is waived due to anticipated technical difficulties in performing such a test. Guideline (standard) studies for long-term toxicity testing would be confounded by the technical difficulties of maintaining the test alcohols (icosan-1-ol and docosan-1-ol) in solution, as was demonstrated in long-term invertebrate studies reported in the OECD SIDS Report for Long Chain Alcohols (2006). Severe difficulties were encountered when studies were conducted with ≥C15 alcohols, which are similar to constituents of the olefines polymer, oxidized, hydrolyzed, distillation residues, as biodegradation in the test system was almost complete within the 24-hr test media renewal period. It is reasonable to assume that similar biodegradation would occur in sediment.

 

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.

Toxicity to Aquatic Organisms

Generally the short-term aquatic toxicity of the constituent substances (primarily, icosan-1-ol and docosan-1-ol) is low and long-term toxicity is considered to be greater than the limit of solubility (LoS) for alcohols > C15 in chain length. In addition, the ready biodegradability of the test substance means long-term exposure to aquatic organisms is unlikely. It is reasonable to assume that similarly low toxicities would be seen in sediment organisms.

In summary, the data requirement for sediment studies is waived on the evidence of technical difficulties, ready biodegradability and the absence of toxicity to aquatic organisms.