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Microbial Release and Degradation of Catechol and Chlorophenols Bound to Synthetic Humic Acid

Laboratory of Soil Biochemistry, Dep. of Agronomy, The Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA 16802

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

The binding of xenobiotics of humus occurs continuously in nature, and it is possible that this reaction can also be used for decontamination of the environment. It is not yet clear, however, to what extent the release of xenobiotics from humus may cause a delayed pollution problem. To evaluate this question, ¹⁴C-labeled catechol (o-dihydroxybenzene), 4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol bound to synthetic humic acid polymer were incubated with microbial soil populations, and the evolution of ¹⁴CO₂ and release of radioactive compounds into the medium was monitored. The quantity of ¹⁴CO₂ evolved varied with the source of the inocula and the chemical structure of the compound under investigation. After 13 wk of incubation, ¹⁴CO₂ evolution ranged from 1.2 to 10.0% of the initially bound radioactivity. Radioactive substances, which were released into the media mostly in the form of the unchanged compound, varied from 0.4 to 12.4% of the initially bound radioactivity. Most radioactivity (54.7–88.9%) remained bound to the synthetic humic acid, suggesting that once chlorophenols are incorporated into humus their release is very slow and unlikely to adversely affect the environment.

Journal Series no. 7820 of the Pennsylvania Agric. Exp. Stn. This work was partially supported by the Office of Res. and Development, USEPA (Grant no. R-811528).

Received for publication December 14, 1987.

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