Biodegradation of poly(propylene glycol)s under the conditions of the OECD screening test

Two poly(propylene glycol)s (PPGs): PPG 425 and PPG 725 were tested under the conditions of the OECD Screening Test with activated sludge as inoculum. Tested PPG were the sole source of organic carbon in the test. Quantitative determination of the biodegradation progress was performed by the HPLC with fluorescence detection after derivatisation of PPG with naphthyl isocyanate. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique was used for identification and semiquantitative determination of metabolites. Separation of PPG and metabolites from the water matrix was performed by liquid-liquid extraction with chloroform. It was found that the shorter PPG 425 is biodegraded significantly worse than the longer PPG 725 and that biodegradation occurs without shortening of the PPG chain for both PPG. PPG molecules are oxidised to ketones and/or aldehydes during the aerobic biodegradation process.