TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 13(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that
glutamic acid is expected to have very high mobility in soil(SRC).
Glutamic acid is a zwitterionic amino acid with pKa values of 2.19, 4.25 and 9.67(3) indicating that this compound will exist almost entirely in ionic form (anion, cation or both) in the environment and cations generally adsorb (anions generally do not adsorb) more strongly to soils containing organic
carbon and clay than their neutral counterparts(4). Volatilization of
glutamic acid from moist soil surfaces is not expected to be an important fate process since it will exist almost entirely in ionic form in moist soil(SRC).
Glutamic acid is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon an extrapolated vapor pressure of 1.7X10-8 mm Hg at 25 °C(5).
Glutamic acid has been determined to be readily biodegradable by two standardized biodegradation tests (OECD 301E and OECD 301B)(6,7). Using OECD Guideline 301E (Ready biodegradability: Modified OECD Screening Test),
glutamic acid achieved 90% degradation in 4 days and 97% degradation in 28 days(6). Other studies have observed rapid biodegradation of
glutamic acid(8-10).
(1) Swann RL et al; Res Rev 85: 17-28 (1983)
(2) US EPA; Estimation Program Interface (EPI) Suite. Ver. 4.11. Nov, 2012. Available from, as of June 18, 2015:
https://www.epa.gov/oppt/exposure/pubs/episuitedl.htm (3) O'Neil MJ,ed; The Merck Index. 15th ed., Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 827 (2013)
(4) Doucette WJ; pp. 141-188 in Handbook of Property Estimation Methods for Chemicals. Boethling RS, Mackay D, eds. Boca Raton, FL: Lewis Publ (2000)
(5) Daubert TE, Danner RP; Physical and Thermodynamic Properties of Pure Chemicals Data Compilation. Design Institute for Physical Property Data, American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Hemisphere Pub. Corp., New York, NY (1997)
(6) ECHA; Search for Chemicals. Glutamic Acid (CAS 56-86-0) Registered Substances Dossier. European Chemical Agency. Available from, as of June 17, 2015:
https://echa.europa.eu/ (7) ECHA; Search for Chemicals. Sodium Hydrogen Glutamate (CAS 142-47-2) Registered Substances Dossier. European Chemical Agency. Available from, as of June 17, 2015:
https://echa.europa.eu/ (8) Takemoto S et al; Suishitsu Odaku Kenkyu 4: 80-90 (1981)
(9) Urano K, Kate Z; J Hazardous Materials 13: 135-145 (1986)
(10) Kameya T et al; Sci Total Environ 170: 43-51 (1995)
AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 13(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that
glutamic acid is not expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment(SRC).
Glutamic acid is a zwitterionic amino acid with pKa values of 2.19, 4.25 and 9.67(3) which indicates
glutamic acid will exist almost entirely in ionic form (anion, cation or both) at pH values of 5 to 9 and, therefore, volatilization from
water surfaces is not expected to be an important fate process(SRC). According to a classification scheme(4), an estimated BCF of 3(SRC), from its log Kow of -3.69(5) and a regression-derived equation(2), suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC).
Glutamic acid has been determined to be readily biodegradable by two standardized biodegradation tests (OECD 301E and OECD 301B)(6,7). Using OECD Guideline 301E (Ready biodegradability: Modified OECD Screening Test),
glutamic acid achieved 90% degradation in 4 days and 97% degradation in 28 days(6). Other studies have observed rapid biodegradation of
glutamic acid(8-10).
Glutamic acid is not expected to undergo hydrolysis in the environment due to the lack of functional groups that hydrolyze under environmental conditions(11).
(1) Swann RL et al; Res Rev 85: 17-28 (1983)
(2) US EPA; Estimation Program Interface (EPI) Suite. Ver. 4.11. Nov, 2012. Available from, as of June 18, 2015:
https://www.epa.gov/oppt/exposure/pubs/episuitedl.htm (3) O'Neil MJ,ed; The Merck Index. 15th ed., Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 826 (2013)
(4) Franke C et al; Chemosphere 29: 1501-14 (1994)
(5) Hansch C et al; Exploring QSAR. Hydrophobic, Electronic, and Steric Constants. ACS Prof Ref Book. Heller SR, consult. ed., Washington, DC: Amer Chem Soc p. 14 (1995)
https://echa.europa.eu/ (6) ECHA; Search for Chemicals. Glutamic Acid (CAS 56-86-0) Registered Substances Dossier. European Chemical Agency. Available from, as of June 17, 2015:
https://echa.europa.eu/ (7) ECHA; Search for Chemicals. Sodium Hydrogen Glutamate (CAS 142-47-2) Registered Substances Dossier. European Chemical Agency. Available from, as of June 17, 2015:
(8) Takemoto S et al; Suishitsu Odaku Kenkyu 4: 80-90 (1981)
(9) Urano K, Kate Z; J Hazardous Materials 13: 135-145 (1986)
(10) Kameya T et al; Sci Total Environ 170: 43-51 (1995)
(11) Lyman WJ et al; Handbook of Chemical Property Estimation Methods. Washington, DC: Amer Chem Soc pp. 7-4, 7-5 (1990)
ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1),
glutamic acid, which has an extrapolated vapor pressure of 1.7X10-8 mm Hg at 25 °C(2), will exist in both the vapor and particulate phases in the ambient atmosphere. Vapor-phase
glutamic acid is degraded in the atmosphere by reaction with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals(SRC); the half-life for this reaction in air is estimated to be 9.4 hours(SRC), calculated from its rate constant of 4.1X10-11 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C(SRC) that was derived using a structure estimation method(3). Particulate-phase
glutamic acid may be removed from the air by wet and dry deposition(SRC). Aliphatic amino acids exhibit no absorption in the UV region above 220 nm(4), therefore
glutamic acid is not expected to be susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight(SRC).
(1) Bidleman TF; Environ Sci Technol 22: 361-367 (1988)
(2) Daubert TE, Danner RP; Physical and Thermodynamic Properties of Pure Chemicals Data Compilation. Design Institute for Physical Property Data, American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Hemisphere Pub. Corp., New York, NY (1997)
(3) US EPA; Estimation Program Interface (EPI) Suite. Ver. 4.11. Nov, 2012. Available from, as of June 18, 2015:
https://www.epa.gov/oppt/exposure/pubs/episuitedl.htm (4) Drauz K et al; Amino Acids. Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. 7th ed. (1999-2015). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Online Posting Date: April 15, 2007.