Biodegradation of hydrophobic compounds in the presence of surfactants

Technical Report · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:218059

Roch, F; Alexander, M

A study was conducted to determine the availability of hydrophobic compounds within surfactant micelles for microbial uptake. Several of the surfactants tested were toxic to the test bacteria and prevented biodegradation of biphenyl and phenanthrene at concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The rate of biodegradation was reduced at a surfactant concentration above but not below the CMC only when the test bacterium grew on biphenyl in the presence of Triton X-l00. This decrease was correlated with the CMC and was more pronounced at a biphenyl concentration of 0.2 ug/mI than at 2.0 %g/ml. Such a correlation was not observed when bacteria grew on 1.0 %g glutamate per ml, even though the rate of glutamate degradation was reduced by Triton X-100. Analysis of the data with a mathematical model suggested that the experimental observations were probably not the consequence of the unavailability to bacteria of biphenyl within Triton X-I00 micelles.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
• OSTI ID: 218059
• Report Number(s): AD-A--300620/2/XAB; CNN: Contract DAAL03-89-K-0176
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIODEGRADATION
BIPHENYL
EVALUATION
PHENANTHRENE
SURFACTANTS
TESTING