Effects of Alkyl Chain Branching on the Biotransformation of Naphthenic Acids

摘要: The rapid expansion of the oil sands industry has seen a concomitant production associated waste containing toxic naphthenic acids (NAs). Bioremediation such is thus an important goal, but mechanisms biodegradation are still poorly understood, despite recent advances. Many NAs resistant to biodegradation, and alkyl side chain branching been invoked as explanation. To investigate this hypothesis we examined biotransformation by sedimentary bacterial community novel, synthetic, surrogate (butylcyclohexylbutanoic (BCHBAs)) with variously branched butyl chains (n- through t-) unbranched alkanoate groups, plus one (4-(4′-isobutylcyclohexyl)pentanoic acid (iso-BCHPA)), both chains. Sediment microbial populations were inoculated into media individual NAs, gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used determine extent biotransformation. Biot...