Category Archives: Environmental Fate and Toxicology

What is aquatic toxicology testing? Aquatic toxicology testing evaluates the direct impact a substance has on living organisms in aquatic environments. This field of study includes freshwater, marine water, and sediment environments. Chronic or acute toxicity can be measured in algae, crustaceans, fish, oligochaete, daphnia and other small invertebrate aquatic organisms. These tests measure endpoints […]

Hero of Aquatic Toxicology: The Fathead Minnow

 Arsenic isn’t always a poison… Some of the first letters learned in our earliest biology and chemistry classes are H, C, O, N, S and P, which are the single letter notations from the periodic table for elements Hydrogen, Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Sulfur and Phosphorus.  These elements are essential and represent the most basic building […]

MIC and Arsenic, extremes in bacterial life

Biodegradability has become a valued characteristic for products in the market place. Suppliers and manufacturers have the choice to develop and sell biodegradable products, and end-consumers are responding to these choices.  However, to claim that a product is biodegradable, a few additional steps are required.  Except for the simpliest products, part of the product development and marketing […]

Biodegradation Testing for Consumer and Industrial Products

Raw Materials Even for naturally sources materials, biodegradation testing may be required prior to acceptance. Formulations Biodegradation is not a calculation – testing a product’s performance before deciding which formulation works as intended can potentially save a lot of time and effort down the line. Finished Products The finished product as it would be delivered […]

Biodegradation Testing and Product Claims

Quality Assurance has little meaning without valid testing. Compostability performance is no different. Like any other product, compostable products and their associated performance claims need to be substantiated and backed up by valid scientific test results. Based on standard industrial methods including ASTM D6400, certified compostable products assure end-customers of the quality of the product. Test progress […]

Certified Compostable Testing at Situ Biosciences

Challenges Common issues include solubility, volatility and choosing the appropriate method Liquids Formulations and finished products; products likely to be disposed of down the drain or in water systems Solids Methods for packaging, plastics, and products that would be disposed of in solid waste systems Test Methods Cover a range of product types and intended […]

Biodegradation Testing: Challenges & Test Method Selection

Solutions and Liquid Testing Overview Used for determination of Ready, Ultimate and/or Inherent Biodegradability OECD 301 Biodegradation methods typically run for 28 days; OECD 302 Biodegradation Methods are intended for longer term testing; with more complicated solutions. Many other harmonized methods and variants of the OECD method exist.  The differences between these method are due […]

Biodegradation: DOC, CO2, O2 Measurements & Methods

Selecting a Biodegradation Test Plastics, coated materials, and packaging that will likely end up in solid waste streams have specific biodegradation test considerations. Knowing how your product is likely to be disposed of is one important consideration in determining which test method to use. Biodegradation and composting are related but not the same – before […]

Biodegradation Testing for Compostable Solids

Below are commonly requested biodegradation and compost test methods. Options include a range of associated test protocols including BOD/COD and toxicity assessments. Contact our laboratory at 847-483-9950 for additional information about biodegradation and compostable product testing. ASTM ASTM D6400 Aerobic Biodegradation Series ASTM D5338 Aerobic Biodegradation ASTM D6868 Coated Materials ASTM D5864 Lubricants ASTM D6691 […]

Biodegradation Test Methods