title: Biodegradability of fluorinated surfactants under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
abstract: The "ready biodegradability" of three fluorinated surfactants was determined under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Surfactant 1, a solution of a fluorinated surfactant in water, was easily degradable under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions during the incubation periods of 28 and 60 days, respectively. Surfactant 2, a nonionic fluorinated surfactant, was degraded under aerobic conditions in a range of 35-77% during 28 days depending on the source of activated sludge. Aerobic degradation was inhibited by the nitrification-inhibitor dicyandiamide indicating that ammonium oxidizing bacteria may play a role in degradation of surfactant 2. Under anaerobic conditions surfactant 2 was not degraded. Surfactant 3, an anionic fluorinated surfactant, was degraded neither under aerobic nor under anaerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, surfactant 3 inhibited the methane production rate of sludge from a digester. The EC50, i.e. the concentration of surfactant 3 that inhibited 50% of methanogenesis, was determined at 160 mg/l.
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer-Institut für Umweltchemie und Okotoxikologie, Schmallenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Remde
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Debus
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001565:Benzoates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D019817:Benzoic Acid; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005459:Fluorides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D017736:Ion-Selective Electrodes; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D012015:Reference Standards; D012722:Sewage; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D012722:Sewage; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D019817:Benzoic Acid; D005459:Fluorides