Urea-formaldehyde polymer is currently used as a sorbent for containme
nt and clean up of hydrocarbons. The aerobic biodegradability of this
polymer and hydrocarbons sorbed to the polymer were tested. Soil micro
organisms readily grew on the polymer, and two organisms, a bacterium
and a fungus, capable of growth on the polymer were Isolated. However,
biodegradation of the polymer was very slow and possibly incomplete.
Biodegradation of the polymer was evident as a change in appearance of
the polymer, but disappearance of the polymer was not detectable in l
iquid cultures incubated for six months or soil cultures incubated for
one month. Destruction of the polymer by soil microorganisms at ambie
nt temperature does not appear to be practical. Degradation of C-14-la
beled hexadecane and phenanthrene mixed with crude oil in liquid cultu
res inoculated with soil microorganisms was used as an estimate of gen
eral hydrocarbon degradation. When nitrogen was not limiting, the rate
s of hexadecane and phenanthrene degradation were the same, whether th
ose hydrocarbons were sorbed to the polymer or not sorbed. When nitrog
en was limiting, the polymer stimulated the rate of hexadecane degrada
tion but not the rate of phenanthrene degradation. The polymer may sti
mulate hexadecane degradation by serving as a source of nitrogen. Howe
ver, optimal degradation of sorbed hydrocarbons requires nitrogen addi
tion. The results suggest that it may be feasible to decontaminate spe
nt polymer by biodegradation of sorbed hydrocarbons.