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Biochemical Degradation of Cyanamide and Dicyandiamide
Author(s) -
Estermaier Lydia M.,
Sieber A. Heidemarie,
Lottspeich Friedrich,
Matern Dagmar H. M.,
Hartmann Guido R.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition in english
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 0570-0833
DOI - 10.1002/anie.199206201
Subject(s) - cyanamide , degradation (telecommunications) , chemistry , urease , hydrolysis , enzyme , catalysis , substrate (aquarium) , salt (chemistry) , fertilizer , microbial biodegradation , environmental chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , microorganism , biology , ecology , bacteria , telecommunications , genetics , computer science
The substrate specificity of enzymes at low catalytic activity is apparently much broader than previously assumed. This conclusion, based on the results of studies of the biochemical degradation of cyanamide and dicyandiamide, also contributes to the understanding of how chemicals not found in nature are metabolized when they are purposely or inadvertently released into the environment. In natural ecosystems the degradation time for these compounds is quite long in comparison to the duration of laboratory experiments. Thus enzymatic reactions such as the urease‐catalyzed hydrolysis of cyanamide (whose calcium salt is used as a fertilizer) may contribute to the degradation of toxic chemicals.