Molecular weight biodegradability enhancement

Boonchan S, ML Britz, GA Stanley (1998) Surfactant-enhanced biodegradation of high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Biotechnol Bioeng 59 480-494. 

As stated above, De Haan and co-workers did not consider photolysis of fulvic acids by UV irradiation as an important determinant of fulvic acid molecular weight distribution pattern or chemical composition. Since cleavage of fulvic acid molecules and subsequent degradation to CO2 and H2O by UV irradiation can occur especially in summer, the observed fluctuations in Tjeukemeer may be attributed to phytolysis as well as degradation by bacteria. This is supported by findings of Strome and Miller (1978) and Gilbert (1980), who demonstrated an enhanced biodegradability of fulvic acids after UV irradiation. 

Abiotic hydrolysis, photo-oxidation and physical disintegration of polymers may enhance the biodegradation rate of polymers by increasing their surface contact area for microbial colonisation or by reducing the molecular weight [113]. In the case of lactic acid homo- and heteropolymers, abiotic hydrolysis is the most important reaction for initiating the environmental degradation... 

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