Toxicity and biodegradability of selected N-substituted phenols under anaerobic conditions
- Wageningen Agricultural Univ. (Netherlands)
The anaerobic toxicity and biodegradability of N-substituted aromatics were evaluated in order to obtain information on their ultimate biotreatment. The toxicity of selected N-substituted aromatic compounds toward acetoclastic methanogens in granular sludge was measured in batch assays. This toxicity was highly correlated with compound hydrophobicity, indicating that partitioning into the bacterial membranes was an important factor in the toxicity. However, other factors, such as chemical interactions with key cell components, were suggested to be playing an important role. Nitroaromatic compounds were, on the average, over 300-fold more toxic than their amino-substituted counterparts. This finding suggests that the facile reduction of nitro-groups known to occur in anaerobic environments would result in a high level of detoxification. To test this hypothesis, continuous lab-scale upward-flow anaerobic sludge bed reactors treating 2-nitrophenol and 4-nitrophenol were established. The 4-nitrophenol was readily converted to the corresponding 4-aminophenol, whereas complete mineralization of 2-nitrophenol via intermediate formation of 2-aminophenol was obtained. These conversions led to a dramatic detoxification of the nitrophenols, because it was feasible to treat the highly toxic nitrophenolics at high organic loading rates.
- OSTI ID:
- 484968
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950483-; ISBN 1-57477-009-8; TRN: IM9727%%136
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 3. international in situ and on-site bioreclamation symposium, San Diego, CA (United States), 24-27 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Microbial processes for bioremediation; Hinchee, R.E.; Brockman, F.J. [eds.] [Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (United States)]; Vogel, C.M. [ed.]; PB: 371 p.; Bioremediation, Volume 3(8)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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