Docosanoic Acid

SRP: The most favorable course of action is to use an alternative chemical product with less inherent propensity for occupational exposure or environmental contamination. Recycle any unused portion of the material for its approved use or return it to the manufacturer or supplier. Ultimate disposal of the chemical must consider: the material's impact on air quality; potential migration in soil or water; effects on animal, aquatic, and plant life; and conformance with environmental and public health regulations.

Dissolved or mixed the material with a combustible solvent and burned in a chemical incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber.

THE BLOOD PLATELET AGGREGATING EFFECT OF BEHENIC ACID ON WASHED PIG BLOOD PLATELETS WAS ENHANCED BY THE ADDITION OF CALCIUM IONS. LINOLENIC ACID COMPLETELY INHIBITED THE EFFECT OF BEHENIC ACID WHEN BOTH WERE ADDED IN EQUIMOLAR CONCENTRATIONS.

EC50 Selenastrum capricornutum (algae) >5.00 mg/L/72 hr; Conditions: static, 22.5 to 23.4 °C; Effect: growth rate. /Purity 96.5%/

EC50 Daphnia magna (water flea) >5.00 mg/L/48 hr; Conditions: static, 20.4 to 20.7 °C, pH=7.7 to 7.9; Effect: immobilization. /Purity 96.5%/

EC50 Daphnia magna (water flea) >0.84 mg/L/14 or 21 days; Conditions: semi-static (water renewal: 3 times a week), 19.9 to 20.6 °C, pH=7.0 to 8.0; Effect: reproduction. /Purity 96.5%/

LC50 Daphnia magna (water flea) >0.84 mg/L/14 or 21 days; Conditions: semi-static (water renewal: 3 times a week), 19.9 to 20.6 °C, pH=7.0 to 8.0. /Purity 96.5%/

For more Ecotoxicity Values (Complete) data for DOCOSANOIC ACID (6 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 1.4X10+5(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that undissociated docosanoic acid is expected to be immobile in soil(SRC). The estimated pKa of docosanoic acid is 4.7(3), indicating that this compound will exist almost entirely in anion form in the environment and anions generally do not adsorb more strongly to soils containing organic carbon and clay than their neutral counterparts(4). Volatilization from moist soil is not expected because the acid exists as an anion and anions do not volatilize(SRC). Docosanoic is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon an estimated vapor pressure of 7.1X10-8 mm Hg(SRC), determined from a fragment constant method(5). Biodegradation of 69% of the theoretical BOD using a modified closed bottle Blok test employing a sewage inoculum incubated 28 days(6) suggests that biodegadation may be an important environmental fate process in soil(SRC).

AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 1.4X10+5 for the free acid(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that undissociated docosanoic acid is expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment(SRC). An estimated pKa of 4.7(3) indicates docosanoic acid will exist almost entirely in the anion form at pH values of 5 to 9 and therefore volatilization from water surfaces is not expected to be an important fate process(4). According to a classification scheme(5), an estimated BCF of 3(SRC), from an estimated log Kow of 9.91(6) and a regression-derived equation(7), suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC). A half life of 1.7 days in freshwater after a 29 days(8) suggests that biodegradation may be an important environmental fate process in water(SRC).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), docosanoic acid, which has an estimated vapor pressure of 7.1X10-8 mm Hg at 25 °C(SRC), determined from a fragment constant method(2), will exist in both the vapor and particulate phases in the ambient atmosphere. Vapor-phase docosanoic acid is degraded in the atmosphere by reaction with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals(SRC); the half-life for this reaction in air is estimated to be 14 hours(SRC), calculated from its rate constant of 2.8X10-11 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C(SRC) that was derived using a structure estimation method(3). Particulate-phase docosanoic acid may be removed from the air by wet or dry deposition(SRC). Docosanoic acid does not contain chromophores that absorb at wavelengths >290 nm(4) and therefore is not expected to be susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight(SRC).

The CIR Expert Panel concluded that the following ingredients are safe in the present practices of use andconcentration described in the safety assessment when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing, which may be basedon a QRA...Behenic Acid...

Safe for use in cosmetics, with qualifications

Oral LD50 value of docosanoic acid for rats is greater than 2,000 mg/kg. There are no available data for irritation and sensitization. In an oral study using the OECD combined repeated dose and reproductive/developmental toxicity test [OECD TG 422], docosanoic acid was administered to rats at doses of 0, 100, 300, 1,000 mg/kg/day for at least 42 days . No deaths occurred and also no substance related toxic effects were observed in any parameters. Therefore, the NOAEL is considered to be 1,000 mg/kg/day for both repeated dose toxicity and reproductive/developmental toxicity. The chemical was negative in both a bacterial mutation test [OECD TG 471, 472] and a chromosomal aberration test in vitro [OECD TG 473]. ... Acute toxicity values of docosanoic acid on alga (Selenastrum capricornutum), aquatic invertebrate (Daphnia magna) or fish (Oryzias latipes) are greater than its water solubility (0.016 mg/L). The NOEC in a 21-day reproduction test with Daphnia magna is also greater than its water solubility. No significant effects are observed in any tests conducted at extremely high concentrations by using dispersant under OECD test guidelines [TG201, 202, 203, 204, or 211]. There is information that some fatty acids with shorter carbon chain caused no mortality at saturated concentration in certain aquatic organisms (gammarus in freshwater; Medaka in seawater condition). Considering from these data and additional information, it is reasonable to assume that docosanoic acid is not toxic to aquatic organisms at the concentration less than its water solubility (0.016 mg/L). A PNEC is not calculated since NOEC values obtained are above the water solubility of the substance.

/AQUATIC SPECIES/ In a chronic toxicity test with Daphnia magna, conducted at 0.30, 0.55 and 1.00 mg/L under semi-static conditions (water renewal: 3 times a week), the measured concentrations in groups tested at 21 day were different over 20% from their corresponding nominal concentration. Thus, the concentrations were expressed using time-weighted averages: 0.24, 0.49 and 0.84 mg/L, respectively. The parental mortalities observed in controls and treated groups were within the range of 20% and no effects by dispersant were observed. EC50 and NOEC values in this chronic toxicity test to Daphnia magna on reproduction were greater than 0.84 mg/L.

/AQUATIC SPECIES/ Toxicity studies of docosanoic acid have been conducted using dispersant in a limited number of representative aquatic organisms: algae (Selenastrum capricornutum), aquatic invertebrates (Daphnia magna), and fish (Oryzias latipes) ... In all tests, no significant effect was observed at considerably higher concentration than its water solubility (0.016 mg/L).

Docosanoic acid is found as a minor constituent of most seed fats and in large amounts in jamba oil, mustard seed oil and rape oil(1). Docosanoic acid occurs in bean oil, hydrogenated mustard oil, and rapeseed oil(2). Docosanoic acid was found in fine particulate abrasion products from green leaves at a concn of 152.2 ug/g and from dead leaves at a concn of 212.4 ug/g; samples collected were from trees characteristic of the Los Angeles, CA area(3).

Water samples taken from the effluent of a kraft paper mill located on the shore of Lake Saimaa, Lappeenranta, Finland were found to contain docosanoic acid concns ranging from 1 to 37 ug/L over a 9 day period(1). Docosanoic acid was identified in a tire manufacturing plant wastewater at 1 mg/L(2).

Docosanoic acid was found in candle smoke from paraffin and beeswax at 0.15 and 1.21 mg/g of organic compounds(1). Docosanoic acid was found in wood smoke from yellow poplar, white ash, sweet gum, mockernut hickory, loblolly pine, and slash pine(2). Docosanoic acid was detected in wood smoke from pine, oak and synthetic logs at 7.98, 4.63 and 0.99 mg/kg of wood burnt(3). Docosanoic acid was found at 20.8, 7.61 and 5.09 mg/kg of burnt pine, oak and eucalyptus wood, respectively, in the particulate phase(4). Docosanoic acid was found in extract from a pine wood burning campfire at 628 ng/g(5). Docosanoic acid was found at 17 ug/g from heated roofing tar pot fumes(6).

Docosanoic acid was not detected in tire wear particles, and in brake lining particles and road dust particles at concns of 2.1 ug/g and 70.2 ug/g of particle sample, respectively(1). Docosanoic acid was emitted at 350 ug/kg of cooked meat in the particulate phase(2). Fine particle emission of docosanoic acid from a natural gas-fired water heater and a natural gas-fired space heater were not detected(3).

Using a structure estimation method based on molecular connectivity indices(1), the Koc of undissociated docosanoic acid can be estimated to be 1.4X10+5(SRC). According to a classification scheme(2), this estimated Koc value suggests that docosanoic acid is expected to be immobile in soil(SRC). The estimated pKa of docosanoic acid is 4.7(3), indicating that this compound will exist almost entirely in anion form in the environment and anions generally do not adsorb more strongly to soils containing organic carbon and clay than their neutral counterparts(4).

Minor constituent of most seed fats, animal milk fats and marine animal oils.

Occurs in bean oil

THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF BEHENIC ACID WAS FOUND IN GARCINIA MANGOSTANA AND VENTILAGO MADRASPATANA SEEDS.

BEHENIC ACID (2.62%) WAS ISOLATED FROM THE OIL OBTAINED FROM THE MEDICINAL PLANT ERYTHRINA SUBEROSA ROXB SEEDS.

Docosanoic acid is a carboxylic acid that is also known as a fatty acid because fatty acids were first isolated by the hydrolysis of naturally occurring fats(1). Fatty acids are widely distributed in nature as components of animal and vegetable fats(2) including lipids such as oils and fats, waxes, sterol esters and other minor compounds(1).