Bacterial metabolism of aromatic compounds and a complex hazardous waste under anaerobic conditions
The biological fate of organic chemicals in the environment depends upon a variety of physical/chemical factors. In the absence of molecular oxygen, the importance of terminal electron acceptors has been often overlooked. Since anaerobic microbial consortia are dependent upon the availability of particular electron acceptors, these conditions can play an important role in influencing the fate of environmental pollutants. In this research, different electron acceptors were evaluated for their effects on the biodegradation of environmental toxicants. Two anaerobic bioassays, the Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) and the Anaerobic Toxicity Assay (ATA), were used to evaluate a series of phthalic acid esters (PAEs), substituted phenols and a landfill leachate, for their methanogenic biodegradability and toxicity. Many of the PAEs and phenols could be stoichiometrically mineralized. In addition, the landfill leachate was found to be inhibitory at concentrations greater than 10%, and partially mineralized in approximately 50 weeks. Based upon these assays, 6 different functional groups and their isomers were evaluated for their effect on the biodegradability and toxicity of phenol under methanogenic and denitrifying conditions. These results indicated that nitro- and chloro-substituted phenols were persistent under denitrifying conditions. Under methanogenic conditions, these compounds were metabolized to a more reduced intermediate with less toxicity. Conversely, amino-substituted phenols were not readily mineralized under methanogenic conditions, but were metabolized after minimal lag under denitrifying conditions. From active denitrifying phenol degrading cultures, a pure culture was obtained which could grow on phenol and on a variety of other alkyl-substituted aromatic compounds. Additional studies have tentatively identified several alicyclic metabolites including cyclohexanol, 2-cyclohexene-1-ol, cyclohexanone and 2-cyclohexene-1-one from phenol catabolism.
- Research Organization:
- New York Univ., NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5708759
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Influence of alternative electron acceptors on the anaerobic biodegradability of chlorinated phenols and benzoic acids
Development of bacterial cultures which can metabolize structural analogs of dioxin
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AROMATICS
BIODEGRADATION
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BIOCHEMISTRY
BINDING ENERGY
CATABOLISM
CYCLOHEXANOL
CYCLOHEXANONE
ELECTRONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
ISOMERS
LEACHATES
METABOLISM
METABOLITES
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
OXYGEN
PHENOLS
PHTHALIC ACID ESTERS
POLLUTANTS
SANITARY LANDFILLS
TOXICITY
VALENCE
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ESTERS
FERMIONS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
LEPTONS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SOLUTIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)