Microbial products, subject

Table 9.10 Examples of microbial products produced from alkanes and related compounds. Ail the examples cited are the subject of patents.

As noted, TSCA coverage extends to chemical substances and mixtures used in a broad range of industrial, commercial and consumer applications. Some examples of the types of microbial products that would be subject to TSCA are microorganisms used to produce pesticides and other commercial chemicals, to convert biomass to energy, for pollutant degradation and enhanced oil recovery, in metal extraction and concentration, and in certain non-food agriculture applications, such as nitrogen fixation. 

Application of oxygen indicators would be particularly useful for indicating the end of shelf-life of a wide variety of additive-free products subject to both oxidative and microbial attack (Yoshikawa et al., 1982). 

Milk and its products can be subjected to a variety of tests to determine composition, microbial quaUty, adequacy of pasteurization, contamination with antibiotics and pesticides (qv), and radioactivity (18). 

Decorative eye cosmetic products have been reported to be subject to pathogenic microbial contamination. Regulatory agencies in several countries, therefore, permit the use of mercury-containing preservatives in eye makeups. The infections reported were to a large extent caused by contamination during use, and the introduction of self-sterilising preparations seems warranted. 

Organic combustible substances subject to microbial tliermogenesis (e.g.. Agricultural products such as liay and grain)... 

A project at the University of Arizona (FEDRIP 1996) will study microbial dehalogenation of several compounds, including chloroform. A major part of the study will focus on the facultative anaerobic bacteria Shewanella putrefaciens sp., which is known to catalyze the transformation of carbon tetrachloride to chloroform and other as yet unidentified products. The organic substrates will also contain metals. It is hoped that the end-products from the biochemical treatment can be subjected to a photolytic finishing process that will completely mineralize any remaining halogenated compounds. 

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