Anaerobic transformation of phenol to benzoate via para-carboxylation: Use of fluorinated analogues to elucidate the mechanism of transformation

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:7167025

Genthner, B R.S.; Townsend, G T; Chapman, P J

Formation of benzoate from phenol and CO2 in sewage sludge when H2 was present was recently reported. While investigating anaerobic degradation of monochlorophenols, the conversion of phenol to benzoate after reductive dechlorination and before mineralization to CO2 and CH4 was observed. Isomeric fluorophenols were used as phenol analogues to investigate the transformation of phenol to benzoate by an anaerobic, phenol-degrading consortium derived from freshwater sediment. Transformation of 2-fluorophenol and 3-fluorophenol occurred in the presence or absence of phenol and led to the accumulation of fluorobenzoic acids. Identification of the resulting fluorobenzoate products as 3-fluorobenzoate and 2-fluorobenzoate isomers, respectively, together with the nontransformation of 4-fluorophenol indicated that the carboxyl group was introduced para to the phenolic hydroxyl group.

• Research Organization: Technical Resources, Inc., Gulf Breeze, FL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7167025
• Report Number(s): PB-90-140849/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
AROMATICS
BENZOIC ACID
BIODEGRADATION
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLEANING
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
FRESH WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
POLLUTION
SEDIMENTS
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SPECTROSCOPY
STEREOCHEMISTRY
SYNTHESIS
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION