UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam (http://dare.uva.nl) UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository)Biodegradability of tetrachlorobenzyltoluenes and polychlorinated biphenyls in activated sludge and in cultures of Alcaligenes sp. JB1: a preliminary study. van Haelst, A.G.; Bakboord, J.; Parsons, J.R.; Govers, H.A.J. Disclaimer/Complaints regulationsIf you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: http://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. Download date: 09 May 2018Pergamon 0045-6535(95)00144-1Chemosphere, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 2799-2808, 1995 Copyright © 1995 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0045-6535/95 $9.50+0.00 BIODEGRADABILITY OF TETRACHLOROBENZYLTOLUENES ABSTRACTThe biodegradability of tetrachlorobenzyltoluenes (TCBTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was investigated in activated sludge and in batch cultures of the PCB-degrading microorganism Alcaligenes sp.JB1. There was no evidence for significant biodegradation of either TCBTs or PCBs in activated sludge. In contrast, cultures of strain JB1 did degrade PCB 40, but again there was no evidence for degradation of TCBTs. Although no final conclusions can be drawn from these results about the biodegradability of TCBTs, they do indicate that TCBTs are environmentally persistent compounds.