title: Biodegradability of volatile hydrocarbons of gasoline.
abstract: The biodegradability under aerobic conditions of volatile hydrocarbons (4-6 carbons) contained in gasoline and consisting of n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, cycloalkanes and alkenes, was investigated. Activated sludge was used as the reference microflora. The biodegradation test involved the degradation of the volatile fraction of gasoline in closed flasks under optimal conditions. The kinetics of biodegradation was monitored by CO2 production. Final degradation was determined by gas chromatographic analysis of all measurable hydrocarbons (12 compounds) in the mixture after sampling the headspace of the flasks. The degradation of individual hydrocarbons was also studied with the same methodology. When incubated individually, all hydrocarbons used as carbon sources, except 2,2-dimethylbutane and 2,3-dimethylbutane, were completely consumed in 30 days or less with different velocities and initial lag periods. When incubated together as constituents of the light gasoline fraction, all hydrocarbons were metabolised, often with higher velocities than for individual compounds. Cometabolism was involved in the degradation of dimethyl isoalkanes.
authors.affiliation: Institut Français du Pétrole, Départment de Microbiologie, Rueil-Malmaison, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Solano-Serena
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huet
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lebeault
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vandecasteele
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003470:Culture Media; D005742:Gasoline; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005742:Gasoline; D006838:Hydrocarbons