Isolation and selection of microorganisms which hydrolyse plasticizers
Miranda Romero, L.A.; Gutiérrez Castrejón, T.
Revista Latinoamericana de Microbiologia 26(3): 217-222
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0187-4640 PMID: 6531533 Document Number: 234855
A variety of microorganisms able to hydrolyze plasticizers was isolated; 50% were fungi. According to selection criteria (plate hydrolysis, O2 consumption, growth curve), strain AM4 (Rhodoturula sp.) was the most efficient for degrading dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and dioctyl adipate (DOA). Strain AM7 (Penicillium sp.) less efficiently hydrolyzed DOP and DOA, but additionally hydrolyzed dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The order of resistance to degradation of the plasticizers was DBP > DOP > DOA; this finding is probably related to the molecular configuration and C chain length of the plasticizers. The methodology used enabled a relatively rapid estimation of the biodegradability of the plasticizers.