The objective of this research was to study the biodegradability of et
hylene glycol, acrylic acid. acrolein and allyl alcohol using a methan
ogenic acetate enrichment culture. Anaerobic Toxicity Assays (ATA) and
Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) studies were performed with serum
bottles. Ethylene glycol was found to be degraded to less than 5 mg/l
with spikes up to 10,000 mg/l. Higher concentrations led to pH inhibi
tion even with a design initial bicarbonate alkalinity of 6000 mg/l as
CaCO3. Acrylic acid was degraded with almost no effect on methanogens
with spikes up to 100 mg/l. However, concentrations of 500, 1000 and
1500 mg/l were found to inhibit the methanogens for several days befor
e recovery. Acrylic acid was eventually degraded to less than 1 mg/l i
n all cases. Acrolein was inhibitory at concentrations as low as 10 mg
/l. However, recovery of the culture was observed at concentrations up
to 150 mg/l. Allyl alcohol was cometabolized when acetate was supplie
d to the bottles in the ATA; it was not degraded well when supplied as
the sole carbon source in the BMP study. Ethylene glycol and acrylic
acid were found to be suitable for anaerobic treatment whereas allyl a
lcohol and acrolein were not suitable at the selected concentrations u
sing a methanogenic culture.