Predictability of Biodegradation on the Environment: Limits of Prediction from Experimental Data

Wesnigk, Johanna B.; Keskin, Maike; Jonas, Wilfrid; Figge, Klaus; Rheinheimer, Gerhard

doi:10.1007/10508767_4

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…As mentioned in the introduction, a long-standing criticism of this approach is that resultant data may be misleading because of artifacts imposed on microbial reactions by unrealistic laboratory conditions (34,55). Other approaches to measure biodegradation have ranged from empirical observation of diminished effectiveness of intentionally released chemicals (e.g., herbicides [38]) to rare field release of 14 C-labeled substrates (8,30) to the use of conservative tracers during injection and retrieval of substrates in subsurface environments (16,22,25,47).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Respiration of ¹³ C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of ¹³ C-Labeled Soil DNA

Parameswaran

Padmanabhan

DeRito

et al. 2003

Appl Environ Microbiol

198

133

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Our goal was to develop a field soil biodegradation assay using 13 C-labeled compounds and identify the active microorganisms by analyzing 16S rRNA genes in soil-derived 13 C-labeled DNA. Our biodegradation approach sought to minimize microbiological artifacts caused by physical and/or nutritional disturbance of soil associated with sampling and laboratory incubation. The new field-based assay involved the release of 13 Clabeled compounds (glucose, phenol, caffeine, and naphthalene) to soil plots, installation of open-bottom glass chambers that covered the soil, and analysis of samples of headspace gases for 13 CO 2 respiration by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). We verified that the GC/MS procedure was capable of assessing respiration of the four substrates added (50 ppm) to 5 g of soil in sealed laboratory incubations. Next, we determined background levels of 13 CO 2 emitted from naturally occurring soil organic matter to chambers inserted into our field soil test plots. We found that the conservative tracer, SF 6 , that was injected into the headspace rapidly diffused out of the soil chamber and thus would be of little value for computing the efficiency of retaining respired 13 CO 2 . Field respiration assays using all four compounds were completed. Background respiration from soil organic matter interfered with the documentation of in situ respiration of the slowly metabolized (caffeine) and sparingly soluble (naphthalene) compounds. Nonetheless, transient peaks of 13 CO 2 released in excess of background were found in glucose-and phenol-treated soil within 8 h. Cesium-chloride separation of 13 C-labeled soil DNA was followed by PCR amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes from microbial populations involved with 13 C-substrate metabolism. A total of 29 full sequences revealed that active populations included relatives of Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Massilia, Flavobacterium, and Pedobacter spp. for glucose; Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Stenotrophomonas, and Alcaligenes spp. for phenol; Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Variovorax spp. for naphthalene; and Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Stenotrophomonas, and Pantoea spp. for caffeine.Achieving a mechanistic understanding of microorganisms where they dwell, in terrestrial and aquatic field habitats, is one of the major goals of microbial ecology; such understanding is facilitated by an ability to directly measure microbial metabolic processes and to identify microorganisms responsible for particular field biogeochemical reactions (4,24,35,41,48). But a variety of methodological obstacles have traditionally prevented investigators from simultaneously documenting identity and activity in real-world habitats such as soil. The most notable obstacles are the size discrepancy between humans and microorganisms, incomplete understanding of microhabitat physicochemical characteristics, a large reservoir of inactive, but potentially responsive cells in environmental samples, and the related propensity for microbial comm...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Respiration of ¹³ C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of ¹³ C-Labeled Soil DNA

Parameswaran

Padmanabhan

DeRito

et al. 2003

Appl Environ Microbiol

198

133

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“…grazing, as well as the interactions of these factors (Pischedda et al, 2019;Wesnigk, Keskin, Jonas, Figge, & Rheinheimer, 2001). Ideally, at the end of the incubation tests, potential polymer or plastic residues that remain unmineralised should be extracted and quantified with a suitable method (e.g.…”

Section: Direct Testing Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment

Climate Change and Law Collection

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17 1.1. Background to the development of plastics 17 1.2. Production of plastics, biodegradable plastics, and waste 20 1.3. Background to biodegradable plastics 21 1.4. The position of biodegradable plastics in waste management systems 22 1.5. EU policy landscape 24 1.6. Policy question CHAPTER : SETTING THE SCENE 27 2.1 Introduction 28 2.2 Definitions of plastics and polymers 34 2.3 Definition of 'plastic biodegradation' 38 2.4 Definition of 'open environment' 40 2.5 Steps involved in plastic biodegradation 44 2.6 Factors controlling plastic biodegradation in the open environment CHAPTER : APPLICATIONS OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS: CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTS 58 3.1. Applications of plastic products in relation to the waste hierarchy -where do biodegradables fit? 61 3.2. The influence of the receiving environments on the benefits of biodegradable plastics 65 3.3. Examples of applications in which the use of biodegradable plastics may bring benefit 70 3.4. Applications where benefits are less clear 71 3.5. The importance of labelling and appropriate user information 72 3.6. The importance of legislation and enforcement CHAPTER : TESTING, STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS 75 4.1 Introduction 78 4.2 Testing scheme and requirements 89 4.3 Criteria for the selection of tests and modelling 91 4.4 Standardisation 102 4.5 Certification 106 4.6 Communication and labelling 107 4.7 Existing gaps 108 4.8 Options and challenges for policy 111 4.9 Conceptual flowchart for the assessment of biodegradation of a plastic item in the open environment: three scenarios 4 CHAPTER : ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT 119 5.1 Introduction and Chapter outline 120 5.2 Risk assessment 123 5.3 Ecotoxicology 124 5.4 Plastics in the environment and related risks 129 5.5 Potential risks of biodegradable plastics in the environment 137 5.6 Risk assessment of biodegradable plastics, problem formulation (Phase 1) CHAPTER : SOCIAL, BEHAVIOURAL AND POLICY ASPECTS 149 6.1 Introduction 152 6.2 Public understanding, perceptions and behaviour 154 6.2.2 Consumer perceptions of sustainable and biodegradable packaging 160 6.3 Unintended consequences of biodegradable plastics 168 6.5 Evidence-based policy options and regulation 174 6.6 What is not known CHAPTER : CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY OPTIONS178 7.1. Conclusions 179 7.2. Evidence-based policy options • This Chapter is an introduction to the entire report, highlighting: › The rapid growth in the use of plastics in modern society › The scale of plastics pollution across all types of open environment › The challenge for waste management systems worldwide in dealing with plastics › Research and development into biodegradable plastics as a potential solution to the problem of plastics pollution in the open environment › The challenges of defining and testing for plastic biodegradability in the open environment • The Chapter sets out the overarching scoping question posed by the European Commission, which asks what the criteria and applications of biodegradable plastics are that are beneficial to the environment, ...

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Relationship between biodegradation and sorption of phthalate esters and their metabolites in natural sediments

Kickham

Otton

Moore

et al. 2012

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Regulatory evaluations of commercial chemicals in Canada, the United States, the European Union, and other countries aim to identify biodegradation rates of chemicals in natural soils and sediments. However, commonly used biodegradation testing methods are limited in their capacity to determine biodegradation rates under natural environmental conditions. As a result, widely varying biodegradation rates have been reported for many very hydrophobic substances. This variability causes difficulties in regulatory evaluations, potentially leading to chemical misclassification. In the present study, the authors developed a model of the relationship between biodegradation, sorption, and hydrophobicity, and tested the model in experiments that measured the biodegradation rates of a range of di-phthalate esters (DPEs) and mono-phthalate esters (MPEs) in natural sediments. The results indicate that DPEs and MPEs have the inherent capacity to be quickly degraded by microbes in sediments at a common rate, but that DPE biodegradation rates in natural sediments decrease with increasing phthalate ester sorption to sediments. The results show that inherently biodegradable substances that are subject to a high degree of sorption can be expected to exhibit long half-lives in natural sediments. The model provides a potential methodology for assessing biodegradation rates in natural sediments from inherent biodegradation rates measured in screening tests by accounting for chemical sorption. The present study indicates that a reduced rate of biodegradation is due to a reduced fraction of freely dissolved chemical concentration in the interstitial water, and that the environmental significance of sorption-reduced biodegradation rates needs to be viewed in the context of risk in chemical evaluations.

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Predictability of Biodegradation on the Environment: Limits of Prediction from Experimental Data

Cited by 5 publications

References 3 publications

Respiration of ¹³ C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of ¹³ C-Labeled Soil DNA

Respiration of ¹³ C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of ¹³ C-Labeled Soil DNA

Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment

Relationship between biodegradation and sorption of phthalate esters and their metabolites in natural sediments

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Predictability of Biodegradation on the Environment: Limits of Prediction from Experimental Data

Cited by 5 publications

References 3 publications

Respiration of 13 C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of 13 C-Labeled Soil DNA

Respiration of 13 C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of 13 C-Labeled Soil DNA

Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open Environment

Relationship between biodegradation and sorption of phthalate esters and their metabolites in natural sediments

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Product

Resources

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Respiration of ¹³ C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of ¹³ C-Labeled Soil DNA

Respiration of ¹³ C-Labeled Substrates Added to Soil in the Field and Subsequent 16S rRNA Gene Analysis of ¹³ C-Labeled Soil DNA