Cartwright, C.D. and Thompson, I.P. and Burns, R.G. (2000) Degradation and impact of phthalate plasticizers on soil microbial communities. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 19 (5). pp. 1253-1261. ISSN 0730-7268.
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Abstract
To assess the impact of phthalates on soil microorganisms and to supplement the environmental risk assessment for these xenobiotics, soil was treated with diethyl phthalate (DEP) or di (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) at 0.1 to 100 mg/g. Bioavailability and membrane disruption were proposed as the characteristics responsible for the observed fate and toxicity of both compounds. Diethyl phthalate was biodegraded rapidly in soil with a half-life (t(50)deg) of 0.75 d at 20 degrees C, and was not expected to persist in the environment. The DEHP, although biodegradable in aqueous solution (t(50)deg < 15 d at 20 degrees C), was recalcitrant in soil, because of poor bioavailability (only 10% degraded by 70 d at 20 degrees C) and was predicted to account for the majority of phthalate contamination in the environment. Addition of DEP or DEHP to soil at a concentration similar to that detected in nonindustrial environments (0.1 mg/g) had no impact on the structural diversity (bacterial numbers, fatty acid methyl ester analysis) or functional diversity (BIOLOG) of the microbial community. At concentrations representative of a phthalate spill, DEP (>1 mg/g) reduced numbers of both total culturable bacteria (by 47%) and pseudomonads (by 62%) within 1 d. This was due to disruption of membrane fluidity by the lipophilic phthalate, a mechanism not previously attributed to phthalates. However, DEHP had no effect on the microbial community or membrane fluidity, even at 100 mg/g, and was predicted to have no impact on microbial communities in the environment.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled keywords: | diethyl phthalate; di (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate; biodegradation; bioavailability; membrane disruption |
| Subjects: | T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering |
| Divisions: | Faculties > Science Technology and Medical Studies > School of Biosciences |
| Depositing User: | P. Ogbuji |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Apr 2009 08:29 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Apr 2009 08:29 |
| Resource URI: | http://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/16242 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes) |
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