A new method to determine the anaerobic degradability of surfactants: the AnBUSDiC test

Bendt, Thomas; Willing, Andreas

doi:10.1186/2190-4715-24-38

Environmental Sciences Europe

Table 1 Standard methods for testing of anaerobic biodegradation (taken from[4], but up-dated)

From: A new method to determine the anaerobic degradability of surfactants: the AnBUSDiC test

	Standards				Draft Standards			Standards
	ASTM D 5210:1992⁽¹⁾	ASTM D 5511: 1994⁽²⁾	DIN 38414, TL 8: 1985-06⁽³⁾	ISO 11734: 1995	ISO/DIS 14853: 1999⁽⁴⁾	ISO/DIS 15985: 1999⁽⁵⁾	CEN/Draft: 1995⁽⁶⁾	OECD 311: 2001⁽⁷⁾	ECETOC: 1988⁽⁸⁹⁾
Degradation parameter	Biogas, CO₂ and CH₄, soluble organic carbon, residual polymer	Biogas, CO₂ and CH₄ in gas phase	Biogas in gas phase	Biogas in gas phase and soluble inorganic carbon (IC) in liquid phase	Biogas, CO₂ and CH₄, DOC, TIC resp. DIC	Biogas, disintegration of test substance, optional CO₂ and CH₄ in gas phase	Biogas and disintegration	Biogas, DIC in liquid phase	Biogas, DIC in liquid phase
Test substance	polymer	polymer		soluble organic substance	Non-soluble (polymeric) substances	Non-soluble (polymeric) substances	packaging material	div. Material	div. Material
Medium	definite mineral salt medium	digested substance	sewage sludge	definite mineral salt medium	definite mineral salt medium	digested substance	digested substance	definite mineral salt medium	definite mineral salt medium
Test volume	100 mL	ca. 1 L in 2 L Erlenmeyer-flasks	500 mL	100 – 1000 mL	250 mL	ca. 1000 mL	ca. 1000 mL	100 – 1000 mL	100 – 1000 mL
Test duration		up to 70% degradation rete in reference substance	20 – 40 d	60 d	30 – 60 d	15 d (or longer)	15 d (or longer)	60 d	8 weeks
Temperature	35 ± 2°C	52 ± 2°C	35 ± 1°C	35 ± 2°C	35 ± 2°C	52 ± 2°C	52 ± 2°C	35 ± 2°C	35 ± 2°C
Method	volumetric or manometric	volumetric	volumetric	manometric	volumetric or manometric	volumetric (as example)	Volumetric (as example)	manometric	manometric
Concentration test substance		15 – 100 g dry substance/L		100 mg/L organic carbon	100 mg/L organic carbon	20 g DS with 8 g TOC/L	20 g DS with 8 g TOC/L	20 – 100 mg/L organic carbon	20 – 50 mg/L organic carbon
Dry substance	1 – 2 g/L	300 g/L		1 – 3 g/L	1 – 3 g/L	> 200 g/L	> 200 g/L	1 – 3 g/L	1 – 5 g/L

(1): Standard test method for determining the anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials in the presence of municipal sewage sludge.
(2): Standard test method for determining anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials under high-solids anaerobic-digestion conditions.
(3): Evaluation of digester behavior.
(4): Evaluation of ultimate anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials in an aqueous system – method by analysis of carbon conversion to carbon dioxide and methane.
(5): Plastic – evaluation of the ultimate anaerobic biodegradability and disintegration under high-solids anaerobic-digestion conditions – method by analysis of released biogas.
(6): Evaluation of ultimate biodegradation and disintegration of packaging materials under high-solids anaerobic digestion conditions – method by analysis of released biogas.
(7): Ready anaerobic biodegradability; gas production from diluted anaerobic sewage sludge; OECD guidelines for testing of chemicals. Organization for Economic cooperation and development (2006).
(8): ECETOC Technical Report No. 28: “Evaluation of anaerobic biodegradation; Guideline for screening of chemicals for anaerobic biodegradability” (ECETOC – European.
Chemical Industry Ecology and Toxicology Centre).

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