Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 3.17
Summary of Biodegradability Test Results from the Literature in Syracuse Research
Corporation's BIODEG Database
Aerobic
Summary b
Anaerobic
Summary
Year
Filed
Number of
References
Compound a
Qual c
Qual c
tert -Amyl alcohol
Slow + Acc
1
1985
5
1,4-Dioxane
Slow
1
Slow
3
1984
3
tert -Butyl alcohol
1
1984
15
BST − 1
Nonylphenol
1
1986
3
BST − 1
Pyridine
1
3
1986
6
BST − 1
Fast + Acc
Acetonitrile
1
1987
6
Fast + Acc
Triethanolamine
1
1985
9
Fast + Acc
Dichloromethane
1
1987
5
Fast + Acc
Diisopropylamine
2
1988
3
Fast + Acc
Carbon tetrachloride
Fast + Acc
2
Fast
1
1987
9
Phenol
Fast
1
BST − 1
1
1986
66
Isopropyl acetate
Fast
1
1986
2
2-Butanone
Fast
1
1986
10
sec -Butyl alcohol
Fast
1
1987
10
2,6-di- tert -Butyl- p -cresol
Fast
1
Fast
3
1986
6
Ethyl acetate
Fast
1
Fast
3
1987
9
a Nonitalics compounds are stabilizers. Italics compounds are chlorinated solvents; these are listed for comparison to show
whether the stabilizer is likely to evaporate with the solvent or remain behind in the soil where it can be leached down to
groundwater. Data for 1,4-dioxane are shown in boldface.
b BIODEG Evaluation Reliability Codes (“Qual”): Fast
=
biodegrades fast; Fast
+
Acc
=
biodegrades fast with acclimation;
Slow
=
biodegrades slowly; Slow
+
Acc
=
biodegrades slowly with acclimation; and BST
=
biodegrades sometimes.
c Reliability ratings: Qual
=
1: Chemical tested in three or more tests, consistent results. Qual
=
2: chemical tested in two
tests, or results in more than two tests are interpretable, but conl icting data. Qual
=
3: only one test or uninterpretable,
conl icting data.
than 90% of compounds); however, the prediction “ readily degradable ” often does not agree with MITI
test data. A linear regression of biodegradability predicted by BIOWIN and results from MITI tests had
a rather low correlation coefi cient, R 2
0.58 (Arnot et al., 2005). If BIOWIN predicts fast biodegrada-
tion, the estimate should be independently verii ed. If the program predicts slow biodegradation, this
result can be reliably used as a coni rmation that the compound is not readily biodegradable. The pres-
ence of a biodegradation-enhancing fragment generally indicates a possible metabolic step, which does
not necessarily lead to complete mineralization (Pavan and Worth, 2006).
=
3.3.4.2 Biodegradability of 1,4-Dioxane: Laboratory Studies
Research into the biodegradability of 1,4-dioxane was conducted i rst in the context of treating indus-
trial efl uents from processes that produce 1,4-dioxane as a by-product, for example, polyethylene
terephthalate manufacturing, or processes that use 1,4-dioxane in the manufacture of goods, for
example, magnetic tape and cellulose acetate membranes. Recent research into 1,4-dioxane biode-
gradability is motivated by the desire to develop effective in situ remedial technologies or viable ex
situ treatments. Indigenous soil microbes at contaminated sites are generally considered to be
incapable of degrading 1,4-dioxane under ambient conditions (Lesage et al., 1990). Engineered aero-
bic wastewater treatment systems in Japan decrease but do not completely remove elevated inl uent
concentrations of 1,4-dioxane (1000
μ
g/L) in activated sludge processes (Abe, 1999). Low inl uent
concentrations of 1,4-dioxane (2-3
μ
g/L) at the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, wastewater treatment
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