BTEX hydrocarbons ethylbenzene degradation

Benzene is one of a group of related aromatic monocyclic hydrocarbons (BTEX—benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), and since these are water soluble, there has been concern for their dissipation and persistence in groundwater under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Although aerobic growth at the expense of benzene was established many years ago, the pathway for its degradation was established only much later. The aerobic degradation of benzene by bacteria is... 

According to the vendor, M-1000 products can be used to degrade benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and high-molecular-weight alkanes. 

The vast amount of data from natural attenuation studies of petroleum hydrocarbon plumes generally supports anaerobic degradation, especially for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes (BTEX) under field conditions. The first-order degradation rates observed under unspecified anaerobic conditions (Suarez and Rifai, 1999) are typically one or two orders of magnitude lower than rates reported under aerobic conditions (Nielsen et al, 1996). 

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