The pathway or pathways of aerobic degradation shall be reported except where the nature and manner of use of plant protection products containing the active substance precludes soil contamination, such as indoor uses on stored products or brush applied wound healing treatments for trees.

Studies on the degradation pathway or pathways shall be reported for at least one soil. Oxygen levels shall be maintained at levels that do not restrict micro-organisms ability to metabolise aerobically. If there is reason to believe that the route of degradation is dependent on one or more properties of the soil, such as pH or clay content, the route of degradation shall be reported for at least one additional soil for which dependent properties are different.

Results obtained shall be presented in the form of schematic drawings showing the pathways involved, and in the form of balance sheets which show the distribution of radio-label as a function of time, as between:

1. (a)

   active substance;

2. (b)

   CO₂;

3. (c)

   volatile compounds other than CO₂;

4. (d)

   individual identified transformation products referred to in point 7.1.1;

5. (e)

   extractable substances not identified; and

6. (f)

   non-extractable residues in soil.

The investigation of degradation pathways shall include all possible steps to characterise and quantify non-extractable residues formed after 100 days when exceeding 70 % of the applied dose of the active substance. The techniques and methodologies applied shall be selected on a case-by-case basis. A justification shall be provided where the compounds involved are not characterised.

The duration of the study shall be at least 120 days, except where after a shorter period the levels of non-extractable residues and CO₂ are such that they can be extrapolated in a reliable way to 100 days. It shall be longer where this is necessary to establish the degradation pathway of the active substance and its metabolites, breakdown or reaction products.