FLUORESCENCE MONITORING OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON BIODEGRADATION AND EFFECT OF SURFACTANTS

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) are ubiquitous environmental po llutants that are suspected to be carcinogenic. Because some PAHs can undergo metabolic degradation, an interest has emerged in bioremediati ng contaminated sites and incorporating surfactants into treatment pro cesses because the release of slowing desorbing, soil-bound PAH may be promoted. We employed fluorescence spectroscopy and quenching experim ents to investigate micelle-naphthalene interaction and the dynamics o f biodegradation in the presence and absence of micelles. These experi ments were envisioned to provide some molecular-level insights as well as constitute the basis for subsequent work where realistic model sys tems will be investigated in a noninvasive manner. In the absence of m icelles, naphthalene was observed to be degraded within three days and intermediates were detected. Micelles protected naphthalene against c opper quenching and also suppressed biodegradation. Additionally, the emission spectrum of the naphthalene associated with the micelles chan ged over the course of days. Based on prior quenching and polarization studies, this finding suggests that micelle maturation may occur over the time scale of the days resulting in increased sequestering of nap hthalene in the micellar phase.