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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)--properties and environmental behavior. II. Ecotoxicity and biodegradability of NTA in the environment].

The results are described of studies on the effects of NTA on aqueous organisms and crops. The results show that NTA at concentrations determined in natural water systems causes no disturbances of the equilibrium in ecosystems. The conditions of the NTA biodegradation process in communal sewage and in surface waters and the effects of the processes taking place in water treatment systems destined for providing drinking water on NTA degradation are described. In a summary of the results of monitoring studies conducted in countries where NTA has been accepted for widespread use in washing powders the problems are stressed which will require solving before the decision is made of permission of NTA use in Poland. As of now, there are no full data making possible permission of using NTA in products of household chemistry.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Biodegradation of phenolic environmental pollutants by a surfactant-laccase complex in organic media.

Oxidative degradation of phenolic environmental pollutants in organic media was investigated using a laccase complexed with surfactants. The catalytic activity of the surfactant-laccase complex in isooctane was markedly enhanced by appropriately adjusting the water content of the reaction medium using reverse micelles. The surfactant-laccase complex showed little activity towards the oxidative reaction of bisphenol A in water-saturated isooctane (i.e., 0.0055% [v/v] water) while effectively catalyzed the same reaction in isooctane containing 4% (v/v) water, which is over the maximum water solubility. The latter system was homogeneous and was only achieved by the aid of reverse micelles. With respect to the oxidation of bisphenol A, two products, 4-isopropylphenol and 4-isopropenylphenol, were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses, indicating the oxidative degradation of the bis-phenolic structure of bisphenol A. We also found that the surfactant-laccase complex turned out to handle other environmental pollutants, chlorophenols, by the simultaneous addition of water and a redox mediator into the reaction medium using reverse micelles.

Basidiomycota↗
PubMed1975

Environmental fate and biodegradability of benzene derivatives as studied in a model aquatic ecosystem.

A model aquatic ecosystem is devised for studying relatively volatile organic compounds and simulating direct discharge of chemical wastes into aquatic ecosystems. Six simple benzene derivatives (aniline, anisole, benzoic acid, chlorobenzene, nitrobenzene, and phthalic anhydride) and other important specialty chemicals: hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorophenol, 2,6-diethylaniline, and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol were also chosen for study of environmental behavior and fate in the model aquatic ecosystem. Quantitative relationships of the intrinsic molecular properties of the environmental micropollutants with biological responses are established, e.g., water solubility, partition coefficient, pi constant, sigma constant, ecological magnification, biodegradability index, and comparative detoxication mechanisms, respectively. Water solubility, pi constant, and sigma constant are the most significant factors and control the biological responses of the food chain members. Water solubility and pi constant control the degree of bioaccumulation, and sigma constant limits the metabolism of the xenobiotics via microsomal detoxication enzymes. These highly significant correlations should be useful for predicting environmental fate of organic chemicals.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Bioremediation of BTEX hydrocarbons: effect of soil inoculation with the toluene-growing fungus Cladophialophora sp. strain T1.

The biodegradation of a mixture of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, (BTEX) and methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was studied in soil microcosms. Soil inoculation with the toluene-metabolising fungus Cladophialophora sp. strain T1 was evaluated in sterile and non-sterile soil. Induction of biodegradation capacity following BTEX addition was faster in the soil native microflora than in axenic soil cultures of the fungus. Toluene, ethylbenzenes, and the xylenes were metabolized by the fungus but biodegradation of benzene required the activity of the indigenous soil microorganisms. MTBE was not biodegraded under the tested environmental conditions. Biodegradation profiles were also examined under two pH conditions after a long term exposure to BTEX. At neutral conditions the presence of the fungus had little effect on the intrinsic soil biodegradation capacity. At an acidic pH, however, the activity of the indigenous degraders was inhibited and the presence of Cladophialophora sp. increased significantly the biodegradation rates of toluene and ethylbenzene. Comparison of the BTEX biodegradation rates measured in soil batches combining presence and absence of indigenous degraders and the fungal inoculum indicated that no severe antagonism occurred between the indigenous bacteria and Cladophialophora sp. The presence of the fungal inoculum at the end of the experiments was confirmed by PCR-TGGE analysis of small subunits of 18S rDNA.

Ascomycota↗
PubMed1979

Effect of environmental parameters on the biodegradation of oil sludge.

A laboratory study was conducted with the aim of evaluating and optimizing the environmental parameters of "landfarming", i.e., the disposal by biodegradation in soil of oily sludges generated in the refining of crude oil and related operations. Oil sludge biodegradation was monitored by CO2 evolution and by periodic analysis of residual hydrocarbons. The parameters studied were soil moisture, pH, mineral nutrients, micronutrients, organic supplements, treatment rate, teratment frequency, and incubation temperature. Oil sludge biodegradation was optimal at a soil water-holding capacity of 30 to 90%, a pH of 7.5 to 7.8, C:N and C:P ratios of 60:1 and 800:1, respectively, and a temperature of 20 degrees C or above. Addition of micronutrients and organic supplements was not beneficial; sewage sludge interfered with hydrocarbon biodegradation. Breakdown of the saturated hydrocarbon (alkane and cycloalkane) fraction was the highest at low application rates, but higher application rates favored the biodegradation of the aromatic and asphaltic fractions. An application rate of 5% (wt/wt) oil sludge hydrocarbon to the soil (100,000 liters/hectare) achieved a good compromise between high biodegradation rates and efficient land use and resulted in the best overall biodegradation rate of all hydrocarbon classes. Frequent small applications resulted in higher biodegradation than single large applications. Two 100,000-liter/hectare (255 barrels per acre) or four 50,000-liter/hectare oil sludge hydrocarbon applications per growing season seem appropriate for most temperate zone disposal sites.

Bacteria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental aspects of PAH biodegradation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants, some of which are on the US Environmental Protection Agency priority pollutant list. Consequently, timely clean-up of contaminated sites is important. The lower-mol-wt PAHs are amenable to bioremediation; however, higher-mol-wt PAHs seem to be recalcitrant to microbial degradation. The rates of biodegradation of PAHs are highly variable and are dependent not only on PAH structure, but also on the physicochemical parameters of the site as well as the number and types of microorganisms present. PAHs sorb to organic matter in soils and sediments, and the rate of their desorption strongly influences the rate at which microorganisms can degrade the pollutants. Much of the current PAH research focuses on techniques to enhance the bioavailability and, therefore, the degradation rates of PAHs at polluted sites. Degradation products of PAHs are, however, not necessarily less toxic than the parent compounds. Therefore, toxicity assays need to be incorporated into the procedures used to monitor the effectiveness of PAH bioremediation. In addition, this article highlights areas of PAH research that require further investigation.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2004

Environmentally degradable bio-based polymeric blends and composites.

Blends and composites based on environmentally degradable-ecocompatible synthetic and natural polymeric materials and fillers of natural origin have been prepared and processed under different conditions. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was used as the synthetic polymer of choice by virtue of its capability to be processed from water solution or suspension as well as from the melt by blow extrusion and injection molding. Starch and gelatin were taken as the polymeric materials from renewable resources. The fillers were all of natural origin, as waste from food and agro-industry consisted of sugar cane bagasse (SCB), wheat flour (WF), orange peels (OR), apple peels (AP), corn fibres (CF), saw dust (SD) and wheat straw (WS). All the natural or hybrid formulations were intended to be utilized for the production of: a) Environmentally degradable mulching films (hydro-biomulching) displaying, in some cases, self-fertilizing characteristics by in situ spraying of water solutions or suspensions; b) Laminates and containers to be used in agriculture and food packaging by compression and injection molding followed by baking. Some typical prototype items have been prepared and characterized in relation to their morphological and mechanical properties and tested with different methodology for their propensity to environmental degradation and biodegradation as ultimate stage of their service life. A relationship between chemical composition and mechanical properties and propensity to biodegradation has been discussed in a few representative cases.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2006

TOL plasmid transfer during bacterial conjugation in vitro and rhizoremediation of oil compounds in vivo.

Molecular profiling methods for horizontal transfer of aromatics-degrading plasmids were developed and applied during rhizoremediation in vivo and conjugations in vitro. pWW0 was conjugated from Pseudomonas to Rhizobium. The xylE gene was detected both in Rhizobium galegae bv. officinalis and bv. orientalis, but it was neither stably maintained in orientalis nor functional in officinalis. TOL plasmids were a major group of catabolic plasmids among the bacterial strains isolated from the oil-contaminated rhizosphere of Galega orientalis. A new finding was that some Pseudomonas migulae and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans strains harbored a TOL plasmid with both pWW0- and pDK1-type xylE gene. P. oryzihabitans 29 had received the archetypal TOL plasmid pWW0 from Pseudomonas putida PaW85. As an application for environmental biotechnology, the biodegradation potential of oil-polluted soil and the success of bioremediation could be estimated by monitoring changes not only in the type and amount but also in transfer of degradation plasmids.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2002

Modelling for environmental assessment of municipal solid waste landfills (part II: biodegradation).

The biodegradation module of a simulation program for municipal solid waste landfills (MODUELO) was developed. The biodegradation module carries out the balance of organic material starting with the results of the hydrologic simulation and the waste composition. It simulates the biologic reactions of hydrolysis of solids and the gasification of the dissolved biodegradable material. The results of this module are: organic matter (COD, BOD and elemental components such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and ash), ammonium nitrogen generated with the gas and transported by the leachates and the potential rates of methane and carbon dioxide generation. The model was calibrated by using the general tendency curves of the pollutants recorded in municipal solid waste landfills, fitting the first part of them to available landfill data. Although the results show some agreement, further work is being done to make MODUELO a useful tool for real landfill simulation.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed1991

Biodegradation of toxic and environmental pollutants.

Organic chemicals that are toxic to humans and to the environment can be transformed and metabolized by a variety of microorganisms. Such chemicals include trichloroethylene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, toluene, phenols, chlorinated phenols, polychlorinated biphenyls and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. This review focuses on some of the most important recent developments in the biodegradation of these toxic chemicals. Depending on the compound and the organism, the extent of our understanding ranges from the molecular level to the conceptual.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Biodegradation of chemicals of environmental concern.

Microorganisms in soils and waters convert many synthetic organic chemicals to inorganic products. Other compounds are transformed only by cometabolism. These microbial processes may lead to environmental detoxication, the formation of new toxicants, or the biosynthesis of persistent products. Type reactions are proposed for major categories of enzymatic transformation of synthetic chemicals in soils, natural waters, and sewage. Some organic molecules are resistant to microbial attack, and explanations for the persistence of such compounds are suggested.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗