Effect of the composting substrate on biodegradation of solid materials under controlled composting conditions

Biodegradability under composting conditions is assessed by test methods, such as ASTM D 5338-92, based on the measurement of CO₂ released by test materials when mixed with mature compost and maintained in a controlled composting environment. However, in real composting, biodegradation occurs in fresh waste. To clarify this point, the biodegradation of paper and of a starch-based biodegradable thermoplastic material, Mater-Bi ZI01U, was followed by measuring the weight loss of samples introduced either into a mature compost or into a synthetic waste. The weight loss in mature compost was higher at the beginning but tended to decrease; in synthetic waste a first lag phase was followed by an exponential phase. Complete degradation of paper was noticed simultaneously in the two substrates (after 25 days). The bulkier Mater-Bi samples were fully degraded after 20 days in fresh waste, but after 45 days in mature compost. Therefore, the test methods using mature compost as a substrate can possibly underestimate the biodegradation rate occurring in fresh waste, i.e., in real composting plants, and have to be considered as conservative test methods. The test procedure described in this paper seems very suitable as a screening method to verify the compostability of plastic materials in a composting environment.     

Fate and effects of amphoteric surfactants in the aquatic environment

Amphoteric surfactants form part of specialty surfactants available for formulators to improve or design new formulations in response to environmental, toxicity, safety and performance demands. Nevertheless, limited information on the ecological properties of amphoterics is available. In the present work, the aerobic and anaerobic biodegradability and the aquatic toxicity of different types of amphoteric surfactants (three alkyl betaines, one alkylamido betaine and three alkyl imidazoline derivatives) were studied. The amphoteric surfactants tested were readily biodegradable under aerobic conditions (CO(2) headspace test) and alkylamido betaines and alkyl imidazoline derivatives were also easily biodegradable under anaerobic conditions (test based on the ECETOC method). Toxicity to Photobacterium phosphoreum and Daphnia magna increased with the fatty chain length of the surfactant. The EC(50) toxicity values of the amphoterics tested were higher than 5 mg/L, and alkyl imidazoline derivatives, with EC(50) values from 20 to >200 mg/L, showed the lowest aquatic toxicity.     

水环境中邻苯二甲酸酯的迁移转化研究

邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)是一类普遍使用的化学工业品,并广泛存在于环境中.已有研究表明,PAEs环境内分泌干扰物,对人类和自然环境有非常大的危害.总结了PAEs在地表水中的分布和在水体中迁移转化的主要途径,如水解、光降解、与颗粒物(沉积物或悬浮颗粒物)的作用以及生物转化作用,并指出对它们进一步研究的重要性和今后主要的研究方向.     

Stable isotope fractionation analysis as a tool to monitor biodegradation in contaminated acquifers

The assessment of biodegradation in contaminated aquifers has become an issue of increasing importance in the recent years. To some extent, this can be related to the acceptance of intrinsic bioremediation or monitored natural attenuation as a means to manage contaminated sites. Among the few existing methods to detect biodegradation in the subsurface, stable isotope fractionation analysis (SIFA) is one of the most promising approaches which is pronounced by the drastically increasing number of applications. This review covers the recent laboratory and field studies assessing biodegradation of contaminants via stable isotope analysis. Stable isotope enrichment factors have been found that vary from no fractionation for dioxygenase reactions converting aromatic hydrocarbons over moderate fractionation by monooxygenase reactions (epsilon=-3 per thousand) and some anaerobic studies on microbial degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons (epsilon=-1.7 per thousand) to larger fractionations by anaerobic dehalogenation reactions of chlorinated solvents (epsilon=between -5 per thousand and -30 per thousand). The different isotope enrichment factors can be related to the respective biochemical reactions. Based on that knowledge, we discuss under what circumstances SIFA can be used for a qualitative or even a quantitative assessment of biodegradation in the environment. In a steadily increasing number of cases, it was possible to explain biodegradation processes in the field based on isotope enrichment factors obtained from laboratory experiments with pure cultures and measured isotope values from the field. The review will focus on the aerobic and anaerobic degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents as the major contaminants of groundwater. Advances in the instrumental development for stable isotope analysis are only mentioned if it is important for the understanding of the application.     

Calculation of carbon balances for evaluation of the biodegradability of polymers

Establishing carbon balances has been proven to be an applicable and powerful tool in testing biodegradability of polymers. In controlled degradation tests at a 4-L scale with the model polymer poly(-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), it was shown that the degree of degradation could not be determined with satisfactory accuracy from CO₂ release alone. Instead, the course of degradation was characterized by means of establishing carbon balances for the degradation of PHB withAcidovorax facilis and a mixed culture derived from compost. Different analytical methods for determining the different carbon fractions were adapted to the particular test conditions and compared. Quantitative determination of biomass and residual polymer were the main problems in establishing carbon balances. Amounts of biomass derived from protein measurements depend strongly on assumptions of the protein content of the biomass. Selective oxidation of biomass with hypochlorite was used as alternative, but here problems arose from insoluble metabolic products. Determination of soluble components with the method of chemical oxygen demand (COD) also includes empirical assumptions but seems acceptable if the dissolved carbon fraction is in the range of some 10% total carbon. Results confirm both analytical assays and theoretical approaches, in ending up at values very close to 100%, within an acceptable standard deviation range under test conditions comparable to standard test practice.Paper presented at the Bio/Environmentally Degradable Polymer Society—Third National Meeting, June 6–8, 1994, Boston, Massachusetts.     

微生物降解油田含油污泥中烃类污染物的研究

微生物法治理油污土壤具有成本低、效果好的特点。其原理是微生物利用油烃作为碳源合成自身物质．进行生长繁殖，从而使油烃含量减少。在好氧和厌氧条件下，从油污土壤中分离纯化出4株能降解石油烃类的微生物CH1、CH2、CH3和CH4。经鉴定菌株CH3为假单胞菌属，通过生理特性实验，确定了其生长的最适pH值为7.5，油泥中石油烃类的降解率达85％。按照文中微生物处理舍油污泥的现场施工方案，可使处理后舍油污泥中烃类含量〈1500mg／kg（符合国标GB4284—1984要求）。     

含氟有机化合物优势降解菌的筛选

从受含氟有机物长期污染的污泥中驯化筛选得到7株优势降解菌，可利用氟代有机化合物为唯一大风大浪原生长。取其中2株菌进行生物忍耐力及生物降解实验，结果表明：菌株对经过台化的有机物有较强的忍受能力，在浓度高达1000mg/L的条件下仍能生长，全氟辛酸可被筛选菌脱氟降解。     

黄河水中细菌对18种酚的降解作用研究

为了掌握酚污染物在黄河水中的生物降解情况,采用苯酚为唯一碳源的液体培养基富集黄河水中的降酚微生物,并研究富集微生物对18种酚的降解作用.结果表明:黄河水中含有降解苯酚的微生物,该微生物属于细菌;降酚细菌对实验用的15种酚均有降解能力,其中对二元酚分解能力较强;但是,对4-氨基苯酚、2,4,6-三氯苯酚、五氯苯酚无分解能力;混合细菌的降酚能力可以代表黄河水体的降酚能力.     

黄孢原毛平革菌对2,4-二氯苯酚的生物降解

３９℃有氧条件下，５０、１００、２００ｍ ｇ／Ｌ的２，４－二氯苯酚（ＤＣＰ）与黄孢原毛平革菌ＯＧＣ１０１ 动静态培养３０ｄ。高效液相色谱法测定共培养液中ＤＣＰ量的变化，表明：各样品的ＤＣＰ去除率高达９３～９９％ 以上。菌体仍保持较为良好的生长活性。