Biodegradation studies on ap,tert.‐octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol

Abstract

Recent results have suggested thatp,tert.‐octylphenoxynonaethoxyethanol (OPE10) has a high degree of degradability. These results have been confirmed and extended. The loss of response to cobalt thiocyanate under a wide variety of laboratory test conditions demonstrates that OPE10 will readily undergo bacterial attack. Significant loss of foaming and ethylene oxide in laboratory continuous and semicontinuous activated sludge units and septic tank‐percolation field units demonstrate that the degree of degradation under reasonable conditions can be extensive. Tracer studies and oxygen consumption tests are used to support this conclusion. These results indicate that OPE10 should be adequately degraded in conventional sewage disposal systems.

Use of Rodeo® and X‐77® spreader to control smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) in a southwestern washington estuary: 1. Environmental fate

“…Similarly, Pitter and Fuka [41] found an initial rapid rate of biodegradation for Slovafoly, an NPEO with 3 to 35 ethoxylate units, within 7 DPT. Extensive biodegradation (Ͼ90%) also occurred within 14 DPT for shake-culture tests where NPEOs were placed in flasks with a bacterial-inoculated medium [42,43]. NPEO concentrations for this study likely stabilized after 14 DPT because the remaining surfactant partitioned to the sediment and thereby reduced its availability for biodegradation [18].…”

Biodegradation of nonionic ethoxylates

“…An example (Fig. The importance of adequate acclimation of bacterial inocula in studying the biodegradation of surfactants has been mentioned in the literature (9,14,15). Bacterial inocula previously had been acclimated to both of these substrates for 14 days.…”

Biotransformation of halogenated and nonhalogenated octylphenol polyethoxylate residues under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

“…At one time, surfactant biodegradability was demonstrated by primary transformation or loss of the parent compound and loss of surfactant properties such as foaming (2,3). However, such an approach ignores the possibility that ecologically significant bioresistant intermediates may be formed from the parent surfactant.…”

“…However, APEO compounds typically have highly branched alkyl substituents, which prevent the oxidation pathway effective for straight-chain aliphatic compounds (17). The primary aerobic biotransformation pathway observed for branched APEO is through shortening of the EO chain by hydrolysis or an oxidative-hydrolytic mechanism (2,16,18,19). Several investigators have found that APEO degrades to a relatively recalcitrant metabolite with two ethoxy units remaining on the intact aromatic ring with its alkyl substituent (3,16,20).…”