Study on primary metabolites and possible biodegradation pathways of nonylphenol

Abstract

In this paper, the primary metabolites and possible biodegradation pathways of nonylphenol (NP) were analysed by two experimental methods and the interpretation of GC-MS results. One was that activated sludge degraded blank and spiking simulating wastewater for NP. Another was that a dominant bacteria group metabolised the medium contained NP as the only organic carbon source. The results show that the NP primary metabolites are a series of short-chain alkyl phenols with butyl, amyl or hexyls and benzene acetic acid. One of the biodegradation pathways for NP is that the long branches are first degraded into short methyl branches.