Biodegradation is a major process forremoving chemicals from aquatic andterrestrial environments. A variety oflaboratory tests can be used to indi-cate the propensity of a compoundto biodegrade. The Organisationfor Economic Co-Operation andDevelopment (OECD)1 has dividedbiodegradation testing into threedistinct categories as follows:

Ready BiodegradabilityTests of “Ready Biodegradability” arestringent tests designed to providelimited opportunity for biodegradationand acclimatization of microorganismsto a chemical to occur. Chemicalswhich pass OECD Ready Biodegrad-ability criteria in these tests are notexpected to persist in the environment.Each of the three ethanolaminehomologues have met OECD ReadyBiodegradability criteria in indepen-dent laboratory tests.2 Results of bio-degradability tests conducted within

Inherent BiodegradabilityIn cases where a chemical fails tomeet Ready Biodegradability criteria,tests of “Inherent Biodegradability”are conducted to assess whetherthe chemical has any potential forbiodegradation under optimized testconditions. Because each of the threeethanolamine homologues have metOECD Ready Biodegradability criteriain independent laboratory tests2, further tests for “Inherent Biodegrad-ability” are unnecessary.

Simulation TestingSimulation tests are designed to pro-vide an estimate of actual biodegrada-tion rates for relevant concentrationsof a chemical in the environment.

The conditions of such tests must beselected and validated so that theyrepresent accurate models of thesimulated environment. Therefore,simulation tests are in most casesconsidered research projects. Theresults of such research on theethanolamines (Table 2) have shownrapid rates of degradation inagricultural surface soils and variousfreshwater aquatic environments.

Table 2—Sim ulation Test Results

Time Required f or 50%Ethanolamine Envir onmental Matrix Removal (Days)

Diethanolamine Lake water <10

Triethanolamine Sandy loam soil 1–10

Triethanolamine River sediment/water <1

EthanolaminesBiodegradability of the Ethanolamines

Product Information

Table 1—Biodegradability T est Results

BOD/ThOD as Percent 3 ThOD4

Ethanolamine 5 Da y 10 Da y 20 Day mgO 2/mg compound

Monoethanolamine 38 48 67 2.36

Diethanolamine 11 36 58 2.13

Triethanolamine 0 0 61 2.04

References1OECD, 1993. OECD Guidelines for Testing Chemicals, Vol. 1. Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development. Paris, France.

2Davis, J. W. and C. L. Carpenter, 1997. Environmental Assessment of the Alkanolamines. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.Vol. 149, pp. 87-137.

3BOD/ThOD—Biochemical oxygen demand/Theoretical oxygen demand.This is an indication of % biodegraded after the indicated time period.

4Theoretical oxygen demand for complete oxidation to CO2, H2O and NO3(mgO2/mg compound basis).

INEOS laboratories using proceduressimilar to OECD Ready Biodegrad-ability tests are shown in Table 1.1

For more information on INEOSethanolamines, call 1-866-865-4767(toll free in the U.S. & Canada).