Environmental safety data are presented for [S,S]-Ethylene Diamine Disuccinate ([S,S]EDDS), a new, biodegradable, strong transition metal chelator. An environmental risk assessment for its use in detergent applications, which takes into account the chelating properties of [S,S]-EDDS, is proposed.
A property of [S,S]-EDDS that distinguishes it from other strong transition metal chelators is its, “ready” and transparent (no recalcitrant metabolites) biodegradation profile. Because its sorption to activated sludge solids is low ( Kp of 40 1/kg), removal of [S,S]EDDS during sewage treatment, which is greater than 96% as determined by the Continuous Activated Sludge test , is mainly ascribed to biodegradation. At projected use volumes in detergent applications [S,S] - EDDS predicted steady-state concentration in rivers leaving the mixing zone will be below 5 pg/I due to rapid biodegradation. [S,S]-EDDS exhibits low toxicity to fish and Daphnia ( both EC50s> 1000 mg/l). By contrast, due to limitation of the algal test for chelators apparent toxicity was observed (EC50 = 0.290 mg/l, NOEC - No observable Effect Concentration = 0.125 mg/l). Schowanek et al. [1] demonstrated that this is not toxicity sensu stricto but a chelation effect of trace metals in the test medium and of resulting essential nutrients limitation. This requires specific attention when the results of algal toxicity are to be extrapolated to a field situation to perform realistic risk assessment. Metal speciation calculations, using MINEQL+, show that at the predicted environmental concentrations of [S,S] - EDDS (1–5 μg/l), such a chelation effect would be insignificant. These calculations allow to estimate the NOEC for chelation effects in the field to be in the range of 0.250-0.500 mg/l, depending on the background water chemistry. These values are well above the laboratory NOEC.
An environmental risk assessment was performed using the EUSES (1.0) program. EUSES is currently the EU recommended tool for conducting risk assessments (TGD 1995). It was applied to estimate the river water and soil concentrations from production, formulation and private use life stages. The estimated PEC/PNEC ratio in all relevant environmental compartments is smaller than 1, indicating “no immediate concern” at the anticipated usage level. 相似文献
A qualitative study of employers' and employees' meanings of occupational health and safety (OHS) risk control was conducted among a sample of small businesses engaged in the Australian construction industry. Two OHS risks relevant to the construction industry were selected for study. One risk (falls from height) represented an immediate consequence, whereas the other (occupational skin disease) represented a long-term health effect. Meanings of the sources and control for these risks were explored during in-depth interviews. Participants perceived the immediate effect, falls from height OHS risk, as being more important in their workplaces than the delayed effect, skin disease OHS risk. The risk of falls from height was perceived to be controllable but requiring a great deal of effort to prevent, whereas there was a fatalistic resignation to the risk of occupational skin disease. Meanings of risk control for both occupational skin disease and falls from height focused on individual rather than technological risk controls. Organizational barriers to the adoption of technological OHS risk controls in the construction industry were identified. 相似文献