Table 2.
OECD methods for testing the (bio)degradation and bioaccumulation of chemicals
| Media | Guideline no. | Guideline title | Principal end point/s | Duration (days) | Recommended species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sediment | 315 | Bioaccumulation in sediment-dwelling benthic oligochaetes | Uptake rate constant, the elimination rate constant, kinetic bioaccumulation factor (BAFK) | 38 | Lumbriculus variegatus, Tubifex tubifex, Branchiura sowerbyi |
| Soil | 317 | Bioaccumulation in terrestrial oligochaetes | Uptake rate constant, the elimination rate constant, kinetic bioaccumulation factor (BAFK) | 35–42 | Eisenia fetida, Eisenia andrei, Enchytraeus albidus, Enchytraeus crypticus, Enchytraeus luxuriosus |
| Water | 305 | Bioconcentration: flow-through fish test | Uptake rate constant, the elimination rate constant, kinetic bioaccumulation factor (BAFK) | 28–60 | Brachydanio rerio, Pimephales promelas, Cyprinus carpio, Oryzias latipes, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Poecilia reticulata, Lepomis macrochirus, Gesterosteus aculeatus |
| Water | 301 (A–F)/310 | Ready biodegradability | Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), CO2 (inorganic carbon) production, oxygen uptake | 28 | Activated sludge microbial fauna |
| Water | 306 | Biodegradability in seawater | Shake flask: DOC closed bottle: oxygen uptake | 60 | Endemic microbial fauna in natural seawater |
| Water | 308 | Aerobic and anaerobic transformation in aquatic sediment systems | C14 activity or concentration of test substance or transformation products of test substance | <100 | Endemic microbial fauna in natural aquatic sediment |
| Water | 309 | Aerobic mineralisation in surface water—simulation biodegradation test | C14 activity or concentration of test substance or transformation products of test substance | <60 | Endemic microbial fauna in natural aquatic sediment |
| Soil | 307 | Aerobic and anaerobic transformation in soil | C14 activity or concentration of test substance or transformation products of test substance | <120 | Endemic microbial fauna in natural soil |
| Activated sludge | 303 | Simulation test—aerobic sewage treatment—A: activated sludge units; B: biofilms | Elimination of the test substance | 42 | Endemic microbial fauna in activated sewage sludge |
| Sewage sludge | 311 | Anaerobic biodegradability of organic compounds in digested sludge: by measurement of gas production | Biodegradation of test substance (as determined by production of inorganic carbon and methane) | 60 | Endemic microbial fauna in digested sewage sludge |