Comparison of biodegradation performance of OECD test guideline 301C with that of other ready biodegradability tests

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and chemistry 2014-02, Vol.33 (2), p.328-333
• Main Authors: Kayashima, Takakazu, Taruki, Masanori, Katagiri, Kazuomi, Nabeoka, Ryosuke, Yoshida, Tomohiko, Tsuji, Toshiaki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated sludge; Amines; Applied sciences; Bacteria - metabolism; Biodegradability; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; carbon; Chemical compounds; Comparative analysis; Economics; Environmental Pollutants - metabolism; Environmental testing; Eukaryotic cell cultures; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Global environmental pollution; glucose; Guidelines; inoculum; Law; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; OECD test guideline 301C; Organic Chemicals - metabolism; Peptones; phosphorus; Plant cells and fungal cells; Pollution; Ready biodegradability tests; Sewage; Sewage - microbiology; Sludge; wastewater treatment; Wastewater treatment plants
• ISSN: 0730-7268; 1552-8618
• DOI: 10.1002/etc.2444

The Organisation for Economic Co‐operatoin and development (OECD) Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals list 7 types of tests for determining the ready biodegradability of chemical compounds (301A–F and 310). The present study compares the biodegradation performance of test guideline 301C, which is applied in Japan's Chemical Substances Control Law, with the performance of the other 6 ready biodegradability tests (RBTs) listed in the guidelines. Test guideline 301C specifies use of activated sludge precultured with synthetic sewage containing glucose and peptone (301C sludge) as a test inoculum; in the other RBTs, however, activated sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP sludge) is frequently employed. Analysis based on percentage of biodegradation and pass levels revealed that the biodegradation intensity of test guideline 301C is relatively weak compared with the intensities of RBTs using WWTP sludge, and the following chemical compounds are probably not biodegraded under test guideline 301C conditions: phosphorus compounds; secondary, tertiary, and quaternary amines; and branched quaternary carbon compounds. The relatively weak biodegradation intensity of test guideline 301C may be related to the markedly different activities of the 301C and WWTP sludges. These findings will be valuable for evaluating RBT data in relation to Japan's Chemical Substances Control Law. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:328–333. © 2013 SETAC