title: Roles of bacterial attachment and spontaneous partitioning in the biodegradation of naphthalene initially present in nonaqueous-phase liquids.
abstract: The mineralization by an Arthrobacter sp. of naphthalene initially dissolved in di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate exhibited a slow phase followed by a rapid phase. Triton X-100, which inhibited cell attachment, prevented the onset of the second phase. Triton X-100 increased the extent of mineralization of naphthalene initially present in 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane. Cells attached to the interface mineralized the aromatic hydrocarbon at a rate four times higher than the rate of partitioning in the absence of microorganisms, but this microbial activity was markedly reduced by Triton X-100. We suggest that utilization of naphthalene originally present in nonaqueous-phase liquids may involve a partitioning-limited initial stage carried out by bacteria freely suspended in the aqueous phase and a subsequent, more rapid stage effected by bacteria present directly at the nonaqueous-liquid-water interface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil, Crop, and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ortega-Calvo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alexander
mesh_terms: D001173:Arthrobacter / Q000378:metabolism*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D017830:Octoxynol; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D009281:Naphthalenes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C031721:naphthalene; D017830:Octoxynol; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate