title: [Study of microbial degradation of nonionic surface-active agents in designing technologies for purifying waste water].
abstract: Studies of degradation of non-ionic surfactants (NISA) in a model purification plant of an original design demonstrated an high rate and depth of degradation processes compared with periodic cultivation of free or immobilized degrading strains. A virtually complete primary degradation (99-99.5%), with destruction of the oxyethyl moiety of the molecule, was observed. In addition, NISA molecules were degraded to a greater extent, including considerable degradation of the hydrocarbon radical, partial degradation of aromatic structures in Neonol, and utilization of biologically "unyielding" fractions of commercial NISA preparations: polyethylene glycol (PEG) and long-chain fractions of polymer homologues.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Plants and Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saratov, Russia.
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Panchenko
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Turkovskaia
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D007220:Industrial Waste; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical