Introduction
REACh is the Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It entered into European law on 1st June 2007 with the objective of streamlining and improving the legislative framework for chemicals in the European Union (EU). REACh places greater responsibility on industry to manage the risks that chemicals may pose to both health and the environment.
In principle, REACh applies to all chemicals: not only chemicals used in industrial processes but also those used in daily life, e.g. in cleaning products, paints and in articles such as clothes, furniture and electrical appliances.
All manufacturers and importers of chemicals must identify and manage risks linked to the substances they manufacture and market. For substances produced or imported in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year per company, manufacturers and importers need to demonstrate that they have appropriately done so by means of a registration dossier, which shall be submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
Guidance on the information requirements under REACh is available at the following ECHA web-site:
Brixham Environmental Laboratory is part of a global testing alliance and as such can offer a complete REACh service.
Study Capability
Brixham Environmental Laboratory can provide both the “routine” studies required for REACh and the studies required for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC).
Routine Studies
| STUDY | GUIDELINE |
| Physical and Chemical Properties | |
| Melting Point/Melting Range | OECD 102 |
| Boiling Point | OECD 103 |
| n-Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient | OECD 107 or 117 |
| Density of liquids and solids | OECD 109 |
| Vapour Pressure | OECD 104 |
| Surface tension of Aqueous solutions | OECD 115 |
| Water Solubility | OECD 105 |
| Ecotoxicological Studies | |
| Freshwater Algal growth inhibition | OECD 201 |
| Freshwater Daphnia immobilization | OECD 202 |
| Freshwater/Saltwater Fish acute toxicity | OECD 203 |
| Effects on micro-organisms e.g Activated Sludge Respiration Inhibition or Pseudomonas putida | OECD 209, ISO 10712:1995 |
| Fate and Behaviour in the Environment | |
| Ready Biodegradability Test | OECD 301 |
| Hydrolysis | OECD 111 |
Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)
The laboratory is able to conduct all of the studies required to assess a substance against the PBT or vPvB criteria.
Persistent, Bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and Very Persistent and Very Bioaccumulative vPvB)
| PROPERTY | PBT-CRITERIA | VPvB-CRITERIA |
| Persistence | T1/2>60 days in marine water, or T1/2>40 days in fresh or estuarine water, or T1/2>180 days in marine sediment, or T1/2>120 days in fresh or estuarine sediment, or T1/2>120 days in soil | T1/2>60 days in marine, fresh or estuarine water, or T1/2>180 days in marine, fresh or estuarine sediment, or T1/2>180 days in soil |
| Bioaccumulation | BCF>2000 | BCF>5000 |
| Toxicity | NOEC<0.01 mg/L for marine or freshwater organisms, or Substance is classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction, or There is other evidence of chronic toxicity, as identified by the classifications: T, R48, or Xn , R48 according to Directive 67/548/EEC. |
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC)
Brixham Environmental Laboratory is able to complete all of the aquatic studies listed within the OECD conceptual framework for the testing and assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. This includes the following studies:
| ASSAY | EXAMPLE STUDIES |
| In vitro assays | Fish hepatocyte vitellogenin (VTG) assay |
| In vivo assays, single endocrine mechanisms and effects | Fish VTG assay (oestrogenic related) |
| In vivo assays, multiple endocrine mechanisms and effects | Fish gonadal histopathology assay Frog metamorphosis assay |
| In vivo assays, effects from endocrine and other mechanisms | Partial and Full life-cycle assays in invertebrates, fish and amphibia |
