skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Photolysis primes biodegradation of benzo(a)pyrene

Abstract

/sup 14/C-labeled benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) was used as a model compound for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in order to assess the effect of photolytic pretreatment on the subsequent fate of BaP in sewage sludge and soil test systems. Photolysis was performed in methanolic solution with or without 0.1 M H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, under either UV light (300 nm) or natural sunlight. The presence of H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ greatly enhanced the rate of photolysis both with UV and with natural sunlight. Intact BaP resisted biodegradation in both test systems. Photolysis transformed BaP to polar materials that were subject to increased mineralization and binding in both biological test systems. As shown by the Ames assay, photolysis decreased the mutagenicity of BaP to test strains TA98 and TA104 only moderately. The photolysate had an increased acute toxicity and lost its need for activation by S-9 enzymes. However, during subsequent incubation in soil or sewage sludge, mutagenicity decreased rapidly by one to two order of magnitudes and acute toxicity disappeared due to the mineralization and binding of photoproducts to humic materials. Photolysis of BaP and similar PAH compounds represents a useful treatment option that could be applied to certain PAH-containing petroleum refinery sludge and tomore » coal tar residues in order to facilitate their detoxification and environmentally safe disposal.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6741281
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 54:7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; BENZOPYRENE; BIODEGRADATION; PHOTOLYSIS; CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS; DETOXIFICATION; HYDROGEN PEROXIDE; METABOLIC ACTIVATION; MINERALIZATION; MUTAGEN SCREENING; SEWAGE SLUDGE; SOILS; TRACER TECHNIQUES; ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; AROMATICS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CONDENSED AROMATICS; DECOMPOSITION; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; HYDROCARBONS; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS; LABELLED COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PEROXIDES; PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS; RADIATIONS; SCREENING; SEWAGE; SLUDGES; WASTES; 510101* - Environment, Terrestrial- Basic Studies- Radiometric Techniques- (-1989)

Citation Formats

Miller, R M, Singer, G M, Rosen, J D, and Bartha, R. Photolysis primes biodegradation of benzo(a)pyrene. United States: N. p., 1988. Web.
Miller, R M, Singer, G M, Rosen, J D, & Bartha, R. Photolysis primes biodegradation of benzo(a)pyrene. United States.
Miller, R M, Singer, G M, Rosen, J D, and Bartha, R. 1988. "Photolysis primes biodegradation of benzo(a)pyrene". United States.
@article{osti_6741281,
title = {Photolysis primes biodegradation of benzo(a)pyrene},
author = {Miller, R M and Singer, G M and Rosen, J D and Bartha, R},
abstractNote = {/sup 14/C-labeled benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) was used as a model compound for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in order to assess the effect of photolytic pretreatment on the subsequent fate of BaP in sewage sludge and soil test systems. Photolysis was performed in methanolic solution with or without 0.1 M H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, under either UV light (300 nm) or natural sunlight. The presence of H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ greatly enhanced the rate of photolysis both with UV and with natural sunlight. Intact BaP resisted biodegradation in both test systems. Photolysis transformed BaP to polar materials that were subject to increased mineralization and binding in both biological test systems. As shown by the Ames assay, photolysis decreased the mutagenicity of BaP to test strains TA98 and TA104 only moderately. The photolysate had an increased acute toxicity and lost its need for activation by S-9 enzymes. However, during subsequent incubation in soil or sewage sludge, mutagenicity decreased rapidly by one to two order of magnitudes and acute toxicity disappeared due to the mineralization and binding of photoproducts to humic materials. Photolysis of BaP and similar PAH compounds represents a useful treatment option that could be applied to certain PAH-containing petroleum refinery sludge and to coal tar residues in order to facilitate their detoxification and environmentally safe disposal.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6741281}, journal = {Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 54:7,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988}
}