Retardation of biodegradation of linear alkyl benzene sulphonate by a sublethal concentration of mercuric chloride

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01700946· OSTI ID:7235717

Misra, V; Pandey, S D; Viswanathan, P N ^[1]

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1. Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow (India)

Environmental xenobiotics are usually classified into persistent and biodegradable ones. However, this may not be universally true, since biochemical capacity of ecosystems species may vary with species diversity and versatility. This may differ in different locations decided by geoclimatic factors. Prolonged exposure of organisms causing primary degradation to the toxic xenobiotics may lead to metabolic adaptation to survive the chemical stress. Also under multiple toxicant stress, the normal biodegrading capacity may be impaired by the effect of one toxicant on the organisms per se or on the enzymes causing degradation. If such inhibition of biodegradation occurs in ecosystems, even normally biodegradable chemicals may tend to accumulate. To test this view, model experiments were conducted with LAS (Linear alkyl benzene sulphonate) a biodegradable surfactant and mercuric chloride. Since the purpose of the study was to test the degradation under natural conditions, no attempt was made to identify the micro-organisms involved.

• OSTI ID: 7235717
• Journal Information: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States), Vol. 47:4; ISSN 0007-4861
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
02 PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
BIODEGRADATION
BENZENE
INDIA
MERCURY CHLORIDES
MICROORGANISMS
RIVERS
SURFACTANTS
AROMATICS
ASIA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
DECOMPOSITION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ESTERS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY HALIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
STREAMS
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACE WATERS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects