Safety Data Sheets - Section 12, Chemical Degradation

Information that may be added to Section 12 of a Safety Data Sheet addresses whether the chemical remains in the environment or if the chemical degrades through processes such as oxidation, hydrolysis, or biodegradation.

Oxidation

Oxidation is "a process in which a chemical substance changes because of the addition of oxygen."

Hydrolysis

Hydrolysis is "a chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with water so as to be changed into one or more other substances, as a starch into glucose, natural fats into glycerol and fatty acids, or a salt into a weak acid or a weak base."

Biodegradation

Biodegradation is the process a biodegradable organism or substance undergoes. Something that is biodegradable "breaks down or decays naturally without any special scientific treatment, and can therefore be thrown away without causing pollution."

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