BIODEGRADABILITY OF TETRACHLOROBENZYLTOLUENES AND POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS IN ACTIVATED-SLUDGE AND IN CULTURES OF ALCALIGENES SP JB1 - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY

The biodegradability of tetrachlorobenzyltoluenes (TCBTs) and polychlo rinated biphenyls (PCBs) was investigated in activated sludge and in b atch cultures of the PCB-degrading microorganism Alcaligenes sp. JB1. There was no evidence for significant biodegradation of either TCBTs o r PCBs in activated sludge. in contrast, cultures of strain JB1 did de grade PCB 40, but again there was no evidence for degradation of TCBTs . Although no final conclusions can be drawn from these results about the biodegradability of TCBTs, they do indicate that TCBTs are environ mentally persistent compounds.