Biodegradation of 4-nitrophenol in standardized aquatic degradation tests

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-6513(84)90066-6· OSTI ID:5886382

Nyholm, N; Lindgaard-Jorgensen, P; Hansen, N

During the years 1978-1981 both the European Economic Community (the EEC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the OECD) organized various interlaboratory comparison programs on standardized screening methods to study the biodegradability of chemicals in water. While the ring test results were generally rather heterogenous, one of the compounds studied, 4-nitrophenol, turned out to be particularly problematic as the compound was found either easily biodegradable or not biodegradable by various laboratories in various tests. This paper describes some more detailed studies on 4-nitrophenol degradation in two different tests, the modified OECD screening test (MOST test) and the Zahn-Wellens test, respectively. The test variables investigated include inoculum characteristics and pretreatment, test duration, and 4-nitrophenol concentration. The results are discussed in relation to toxicity and degradation pathways of 4-nitrophenol. It is concluded that in order to improve the comparability of results from standardized aquatic biodegradation tests, test strategies should allow the option of performing a test with a preadapted inoculum in the event of negative test results with freshly collected inocula. Increasing the inoculated concentration of microorganisms in some tests may also contribute to the attainment of more consistent test results.

• Research Organization: Water Quality Inst., Horsholm, Denmark
• OSTI ID: 5886382
• Journal Information: Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States), Vol. 8:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
NITROPHENOL
BIODEGRADATION
MUTAGEN SCREENING
COMMON MARKET
INTERLABORATORY COMPARISONS
OECD
TOXICITY
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITRO COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
SCREENING
560302* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987)