AS 4351.

1—1996

Australian Standard
This is a free 5 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Biodegradability—Organic
compounds in an aqueous medium

Part 1: Method for determining

and reporting biodegradability
 This Australian Standard was prepared by Committee MS/56, Biodegradability of
Materials. It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on
27 February 1996 and published on 5 June 1996.

The following interests are represented on Committee MS/56:

Australian and New Zealand Environmental and Conservation Council
Australian Chemical Specialities Manufacturers Association
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Australian Conservation Foundation

Consumers Federation of Australia
Friends of the Earth, Australia
Griffith University, Australia
National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia
Plastics and Chemicals Industry Association, Australia
The Royal Australian Chemical Institute

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amendments thereto.
Full detail s of all Australi an Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australi a
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are welcomed. Noti fi cati on of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in an Australian Standard should be made
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This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 95061.

 AS 4351.1—1996

Australian Standard
This is a free 5 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Biodegradability—Organic
compounds in an aqueous medium

Part 1: Method for determining

and reporting biodegradability

PUBLISHED BY STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

(STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA)
1 THE CRESCENT, HOMEBUSH, NSW 2140
ISBN 0 7337 0457 3
 AS 4351.1 — 1996 2

PREFACE

This Standard was prepared by the Standards Australia Committee on Biodegradability of

Materials.
This is Part 1 in a proposed series of Standards which gives guidance and methods to
determine the biodegradability of organic compounds in an aqueous medium. The
objective of this Standard is to provide information on the rationale of relevant analytical
test methods, their applicability and the interpretation of results obtained when
determining the biodegradability of organic compounds in an aqueous medium. Also
included is information on the nature of biodegradability and definitions of terms
involved. Other parts of the series provide analytical test methods for determining
biodegradability or detailed guidance to be applied to the analysis of specific types of
organic compounds (i.e. poorly soluble compounds).
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In the preparation of this Standard cognizance was taken of the OECD, Guidelines for
Testing of Chemicals, Section 3: Degradation and Accumulation .

CONTENTS
Page

1 SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. ... ............ 3

2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .......... ... ... .. .. .. 3
3 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ... .. .. .. .. ... ....... 3
4 BIODEGRADATION AND ELIMINATION . . . .. .. .. .. ... . ............ 4
5 BIODEGRADABILITY TESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .......... ... ... .. .. .. 5
6 TEST PROTOCOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... ... .. .. .. .. ... ... 6

First publi shed as AS 4351.1— 1996.

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 3 AS 4351.1 — 1996

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
Biodegradability— Organic compounds in an aqueous medium

Part 1: Method for determining and reporting biodegradability

1 SCOPE This Standard provides information on the nature of biodegradation, the

rationale of analytical test procedures, their applicability, interpretation of results
obtained, definitions and other guidance to help in measuring aerobic biological
biodegradation of organic compounds in an aqueous medium. This Standard does not
assess the impact of a material or its metabolites on the environment.
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2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS The following documents are referred to in this

Standard:
AS
4351 Biodegradability— Organic compounds in an aqueous medium
4351.2 Part 2: Determination by analysis of dissolved organic carbon (DOC)
4351.3 Part 3: Determination by oxygen demand in a closed respirometer
4351.4 Part 4: Determination by analysis of released carbon dioxide
4351.5 Part 5: Determination by analysis of biochemical oxygen demand (closed bottle
test)
4351.7 Part 7: Determination by semi-continuous activated sludge method (SCAS)
4351.8 Part 8: Determination by static test (Zahn-Wellens method)

OECD
303A Simulation test — Aerobic sewage treatment: Coupled units test.

3 DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this Standard the definitions below apply.
3.1 Adsorption— the adherence of a substance to a surface (organic or inorganic) by
physicochemical processes.
3.2 Acclimatization — the process, including selection and adaption, by which a mixed
population of microorganisms develops the ability to degrade a substance.
3.3 Activated sludge — a flocculated mixture of microorganisms and inorganic materials
produced by the aeration of sewage or waste water.
3.4 Bioaccumulation — the accumulation of a chemical in the tissues of an organism.
3.5 Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD (5 d))— is the amount of oxygen required for
the biodegradation of an organic material over 5 d expressed as milligrams oxygen uptake
per milligram of test compound.
3.6 Biodegradability —the capacity of an organic substance to be broken down by the
biological action of microorganisms. For the purpose of this Standard biodegradation of
materials is defined at three levels; readily biodegradable, inherently biodegradable and
non-biodegradable.
3.7 Chemical oxygen demand (COD)— the amount of oxygen required for the complete
conversion of a material into carbon dioxide, oxidized components and water. It provides
a measure of oxidizable substances present expressed as milligrams oxygen consumed per
milligram test compound.

COPYRIGHT
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AS 4351.1-1996, Biodegradability - Organic

compounds in an aqueous medium Method for
determining and reporting biodegradability
This is a free 5 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

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