No abstract

Morpholine can be completely degraded microbiologically, and two organisms have been isolated, each capable of growth in a simple mineral salts medium with morpholine as the sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy. Excess nitrogen is liberated as ammonia. The enzymes responsible for the oxidation of morpholine are inducible and, in organism Mor G, will also oxidize piperidine, piperazine and pyrrolidine, which are not growth substrates. Ethanolamine is a likely intermediate, though the metabolic steps in morpholine degradation do not give rise solely to acetyl‐CoA. After a period of acclimation, a laboratory scale activated sludge plant effectively removed morpholine over the long period it was operated; the sludge was also capable of nitrification. The possible effects of other chemicals in trade wastes containing morpholine on nitrification and morpholine oxidation are described.

Benzothiazole-2-sulphonic acid is capable of being completely degraded by micro-organisms, though in this study, all attempts to isolate a pure culture capable of growing in a liquid benzothiazole-2-sulphonic acid-mineral-salts medium were unsuccessful. Both the mixed culture which was capable of growing in this medium and sludge from an activated sludge plant treating an influent containing benzothiazole-2-sulphonic acid, would also oxidize benzothiazole, 2-hydroxybenzothiazole and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole. The sulphur and nitrogen originally present in benzothiazole-2-sulphonic acid were quantitatively converted to sulphate and ammonia, respectively. Die-away tests indicate that benzothiazole-2sulphonic acid was only immediately degraded by populations which previously had been exposed to this compound.