Rapid identification of microorganisms for biodegradation of alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethercarboxylates

Alkylphenols, especially nonylphenol and octylphenol, are used in a wide variety of applications. These compounds, and alkylphenol ethercarboxylates, are also believed to be formed during the biodegradation of alkylphenol ethoxylates in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems. Microbe Inotech Laboratories has developed a rapid assay to identify the microorganisms present in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems (GC-FAME) and a screening assay to measure the biodegradation of compounds. These assays were used to show that alkylphenols and their corresponding ethercarboxylates were degraded aerobically even when these compounds were the sole carbon source.