OECD 301B – Biodegradation Test – CO2 Evolution

OECD 301B is an aerobic biodegradation test that introduces a material to an inoculum in a closed environment and measures biodegradation of the material by CO2 evolution.

OECD 301B uses respirometry to determine the biodegradability of the material by evaluating the production of CO2 over a minimum of 28 days in a liquid environment.

The OECD 301B test method can be used for highly soluble, poorly soluble, and even for materials with certain concentrations known to be insoluble. Common materials tested with OECD 301B include fuels, lubricants, oil, surfactants, and personal care products.  Formulations and other solutions can also be tested with the 301B.

To be classified as readily biodegradable, a product has to meet the ready biodegradability requirements specified by the method.  This is generally the case for all the OECD 301 Ready Biodegradability test methods.

Many chemical and physical properties can impact biodegradability testing and it is important to communicate these properties with the testing lab prior to beginning biodegradability testing. For more information on biodegradability testing and how a material’s chemical or physical properties can affect biodegradability testing, please visit our Biodegradability Testing – Chemical Impacts page.

Customers commonly request Biodegradability, Toxicology, and Bioaccumulation testing simultaneously to perform an Environmental Fate Analysis on the test material to meet regulatory or third party labeling requirements for different product applications.

It is highly recommended that testing requirements are reviewed with the appropriate regulatory agency to determine which biodegradation testing is required to make performance claims about a material’s biodegradability.

Additional Information

There are a variety of OECD 301 ready biodegradability methods, including OECD 301AOECD 301C, OECD 301DOECD 301E, and OECD 301F.  The most commonly requested inherent biodegradability methods include OECD 302B.  For Marine Biodegradability, OECD 306 is most commonly requested by customers.

For more information about OECD 301B and biodegradability testing, contact the lab at 847-483-9950 or info@situtest.com.

OECD 301B Test Method Introduction video:  https://youtu.be/oW69828jGzE