Aliphatic compounds biodegradability

Dolfing, J. and D.B. Janssen. 1994. Estimation of Gibbs free energies of formation of chlorinated aliphatic compounds. Biodegradation 5, 21-28. 

Particularly the chlorinated compounds have enjoyed range of applications vinyl chloride (chloro-ethene) as monomer for the production of PVC, tetra- and trichloroethenes as solvents for degreasing, and the insecticides l,l,l-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) and isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) (benzene hexachloride). The biodegradation of fluorinated aliphatic compounds is generally different from the outlines that have emerged from investigations on their chlorinated, brominated, and even iodinated analogues. They are therefore treated separately in Part 4 of this chapter. 

Biodegradation of aliphatic compounds generally occurs by one of the three pathways as shown in Fig. 18. The most common is a direct enzymatic incorporation of molecular oxygen (pathway 1). All three pathways result in the... 

Research on biodegradation of chlorinated aliphatic compounds has been supported in my laboratory by research grants from the National Institutes of Health (GM 41235) and the Environmental Protection Agency (CR820771-01). 

Biodegradation is perhaps the most important reaction mechanism for the degradation of hydrocarbons in aquatic environments. Aliphatic compounds in cmde oil and petroleum products are readily degraded, with a prominent initial microbial preference for straight chain compounds (e.g.. Atlas and Bartha, 1992 Prince, 1993 Volkman et al., 1997 Wang et al., 1999 Heider... 

Nontoxic aliphatic compounds containing carboxyl, ester, or hydroxyl groups are readily biodegradable. Those with dicarboxylic groups require longer acclimation times than those with a single carboxyl group. 

Yang H, Jiang Z, Shi S. Anaerobic biodegradability of aliphatic compounds and their quantitative structure biodegradability relationships. Sci Total Environ 2004 322 209-19. 

Parts 1 through 5 of this chapter provide an outline of the reactions involved in the biodegradation of aliphatic esters, ethers, nitramines, phosphonates and sulfonates, and organic compounds of metals and metalloids. 

Tabak and colleagues111 found most compounds in the group to be subject to significant degradation under experimental aerobic conditions. At least ten of the compounds are subject to biodegradation under anaerobic conditions. Britton112 discusses microbial degradation of aliphatic hydrocarbons in more detail. 

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