DEGRADATION OF BIS(2-ETHYLHEXYL)PHTHALATE CONSTITUENTS UNDER METHANOGENIC CONDITIONS

The degradation of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and its intermed iary hydrolysis products 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) and mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) was investigated in a methanogenic phthalic acid este r-degrading enrichment culture at 37 degrees C. 2-Ethylhexanoic acid ( 2-EHA), a plausible degradation product of 2-EH, was also studied. The culture readily degraded 2-EH via 2-EHA to methane which was formed i n stoichiometric amounts assuming complete degradation of 2-EH to meth ane and carbon dioxide. MEHP was degraded to stoichiometric amounts of methane with phthalic acid as a transient intermediate. DEHP remained unaffected throughout the experimental period (330 days).