Ma. De et al., METABOLISM OF ANILINE UNDER DIFFERENT ANAEROBIC ELECTRON-ACCEPTING AND NUTRITIONAL CONDITIONS, Environmental toxicology and chemistry, 13(2), 1994, pp. 233-239
The biodegradability of aniline was evaluated under two different anae
robic conditions, denitrifying and methanogenic. In addition, under de
nitrifying conditions, the influence of bicarbonate was studied. Anaer
obic sewage digester sludge and estuarine sediment were used as hetero
geneous sources of bacteria. Under anaerobic denitrifying conditions a
mended with bicarbonate, aniline was completely mineralized to CO2 and
N-2. After an initial lag period, N-2 recoveries of 74 and 100% were
obtained for sludge and sediment cultures, respectively. Under anaerob
ic denitrifying conditions with no bicarbonate, aniline depletion was
observed; however, stoichiometric quantities of N-2 were not produced
from mineralization and were in fact inhibited below background contro
ls. Under methanogenic conditions, aniline concentrations remained unc
hanged for >31 weeks. A metabolite of aniline, 4-hydroxybenzoate, was
detected in bicarbonate-amended denitrifying cultures.