Environmental and microbiological factors affecting the biodegradation and detoxification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7160776

Heitkamp, M A

The microbial degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in microcosms containing sediment and water from freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. A ranking of six PAHs by mineralization rates are as follows: naphthalene (2.4-4.4) > phenanthrene (4-18) > 2-methylnaphthalene (14-20) > pyrene (34 ..-->.. 90) greater than or equal to 3-methylcholanthrene (87 ..-->.. 200) greater than or equal to benzo(a)pyrene (200 ..-->.. 300). PAH residues persisted two- to four-times longer in a pristine ecosystem and mineralization of higher molecular weight PAHs (greater than or equal to four rings) totaled 0.2-6.5% after eight weeks. Relative differences in PAH mineralization were related to levels of PAH residues and elevated populations of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms. GC/MS analyses of organic extractable residues from microcosms exposed to naphthalene indicated that cis-1,2-naphthalene- dihydrodiol, 1-naphthol, salicyclic acid and catechol were metabolites of naphthalene.

• Research Organization: Arkansas Univ., Fayetteville (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7160776
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
3-METHYLCHOLANTHRENE
BIODEGRADATION
DETOXIFICATION
BENZOPYRENE
METHYLNAPHTHALENES
NAPHTHALENE
PHENANTHRENE
PYRENE
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MICROCOSMS
MINERALIZATION
SEDIMENTS
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DECOMPOSITION
ECOSYSTEMS
HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology