This Test Guideline describes a laboratory test method to assess abiotic hydrolytic transformations of chemicals in aquatic systems at pH values normally found in the environment (pH 4 – 9). This Guideline is designed as a tiered approach; each tier is triggered by the results of the previous tier.

Sterile aqueous buffer solutions of different pH values (pH 4, 7 and 9) are treated with the non-labelled or labelled test substance (only one concentration, which should not exceed 0.01 M or half of the saturation concentration). They are incubated in the dark under controlled laboratory conditions (at constant temperatures). After appropriate time intervals, buffer solutions are analysed for the test substance and for hydrolysis products. The preliminary test should be carried out for 5 days at 50 ± 0.5°C and pH 4.0, 7.0 and 9.0. The second tier consists of the hydrolysis of unstable substances, and the third tier is the identification of hydrolysis products. The higher Tier tests should be conducted until 90 % hydrolysis of the test substance is observed or for 30 days whichever comes first.