Isomeric composition biodegradation

Takada H, Ishiwatari R (1990) Biodegradation experiments of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) isomeric composition of C]2 LABs as an indicator of the degree of LAB degradation in the aquatic environment. Environ Sci Technol 24, 86-91. 

The reactivity of MPa and BaP seems to have resulted in the alteration of their source compositional ratios during transportation/deposition, and thus may not be a reliable source indicator. In addition to the compositional attributes of the parental PAHs, the presence of methylated compounds and a UCM in the surface sediments indicates possible petrogenic inputs of PAHs to the Harbor. The UCM is generally indicative of petroleum and petroleum products, and is a widely used indicator of petrogenic contamination in sediments (Prahl and Carpenter, 1979 Volkman et al., 1992, 1997 Simoneit, 1998). It is commonly assumed that a UCM consists primarily of an accumulation of multibranched structures that are formed as a result of biodegradation reactions of petroleum (Volkman et al., 1992). Since no clear indication of petroleum-derived inputs can be discerned from the compositional ratios of the prominent PAHs in the sediments, it is apparent that the isomeric ratios of the prominent petrogenic PAHs are masked by pyrogenic-derived components. 

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