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Degradation of aromatic compounds bound to humic acid by the combined action of sunlight and microorganisms
Author(s) -
Amador José A.,
Alexander Martin,
Zika Rod G.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620100407
Subject(s) - mineralization (soil science) , humic acid , chemistry , phenol , aniline , sunlight , absorbance , irradiation , photochemistry , degradation (telecommunications) , microorganism , environmental chemistry , microbial biodegradation , photodegradation , organic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , photocatalysis , catalysis , chromatography , bacteria , telecommunications , fertilizer , physics , astronomy , biology , computer science , nuclear physics , nitrogen , genetics
A study was conducted of the degradation of aniline‐humic acid and phenol‐humic acid complexes by sunlight and the subsequent mineralization by microorganisms. Irradiation of anilinehumic acid and phenol‐humic acid complexes in sunlight resulted in a loss of UV light absorbance and the formation of low‐molecular‐weight products. Sunlight irradiation of the aniline‐humic acid complexes had no effect on their subsequent mineralization. The rate and extent of mineralization of the phenol‐humic acid complexes were enhanced by sunlight irradiation. The mineralization of phenol‐humic acid complexes increased with integrated solar flux and was proportional to the percentage of the original complex that was converted to low‐molecular‐weight photoproducts. The effects of solar irradiation on molecular‐weight distribution of the complexes appear to be independent of the organic compound used to form the complex. The effects of irradiation on microbial mineralization of the complexes are different for different organic compounds.