Can a chemical be both readily biodegradable AND very persistent (vP)? Weight-of-evidence determination demonstrates that phenanthrene is not persistent in the environment

Nov 10, 2020

Under the European REACH regulation, chemicals are assessed for persistence as part of weight-of-evidence determinations of persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT), as required under Annex XIII and supported by an Integrated Assessment and Testing Strategy...

Simulating behavior of petroleum compounds during refinery effluent treatment using the SimpleTreat model

Aug 27, 2020

Distribution and elimination of petroleum products can be predicted in aerobic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using models such as multimedia fate model SimpleTreat. An advantage of the SimpleTreat model is that it only requires a few basic properties of a...

Is the Arrhenius-correction of biodegradation rates, as recommended through REACH guidance, fit for environmentally relevant conditions? An example from petroleum biodegradation in environmental systems

May 12, 2020

Biodegradation is a major determinant of chemical persistence in the environment and an important consideration for PBT and environmental risk assessments. It is influenced by several environmental factors including temperature and microbial community structure....

Biodegradation and fate of ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) in soil and groundwater: A review

Mar 4, 2020

This review summarises the current state of knowledge on the biodegradation and fate of the gasoline ether oxygenate ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) in soil and groundwater. Microorganisms have been identified in soil and groundwater with the ability to degrade ETBE...

Influence of contaminant exposure on the development of aerobic ETBE biodegradation potential in microbial communities from a gasoline-impacted aquifer

Jan 3, 2020

Aerobic biodegradation of ethyl tert butyl ether (ETBE) in a gasoline-impacted aquifer was investigated in laboratory microcosms containing groundwater and aquifer material from ETBE-impacted and non-impacted locations amended with either ETBE, or ETBE plus methyl...