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UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date:___________________ I, _________________________________________________________, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in: It is entitled: This work and its defense approved by: Chair: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Biodegradation and Environmental Fate of Nonylphenol A thesis submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies and Research of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Chemical Engineering from the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering of the College of Engineering August 2004 By Marcus A. Bertin B.S., (ChemE), University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio, 2001 Under the Advisement of Dr. Panagiotis G. Smirniotis Abstract Concern for the fate of nonylphenol (NP) has increased in recent years due to reports that it is an endocrine disrupting compound and that it is persistent in the environment. The biodegradation of NP was examined through the use of microcosms and respirometers. NP biodegradation was examined under aerobic, nitrate reducing, sulfate reducing, and methanogenic conditions. Through the use of gas chromatography- mass spectroscopy, the technical mixture of NP was differentiated into 23 isomers. Since no standards are available, a novel technique was used to quantify the isomers of NP. Under aerobic conditions, biodegradation rates for some isomers differed significantly, indicating that some isomers are more resistant to biodegradation. Comparisons between known isomer structures and biodegradation rates show that correlations exist between the branching of the alkyl chain and biodegradability. Under anoxic conditions, NP degradation using cultures obtained from the anaerobic digester of a local wastewater treatment plant did not occur. This result explains the high NP concentration typical of anaerobic digesters. Acknowledgements I thank the US EPA Traineeship Grant Program, which provided the funding for my tuition and stipend to complete by studies. I thank the US EPA, National Risk Management Research Laboratories, Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division which provided the laboratory supplies and equipment necessary to conduct my work. I thank my research committee of Dr. Peter Smirniotis, Dr. Neville Pinto, Dr. Greg Sayles, and Dr. Marc Mills. Dr. Smirniotis, my research advisor, I thank for his advice and guidance. I thank Dr. Pinto for taking the time to review and critique my work. I thank Dr. Sayles for taking the time to discuss experimental designs and help with manuscript development, but most importantly for giving me the opportunity to work with the EPA. I especially thank Dr. Mills for his countless hours of help and discussions about nearly every aspect of my research. I thank Tracy Dahling for frequently providing an extra set of hands in the lab and her help with the total biomass analysis. I thank Ron Herrmann for his many discussions about microbiology and total biomass. I thank John Haines for his tutelage concerning basic microbiological techniques and the use of respirometers. On a personal note, I thank Tracy McCullough, my fiancée, for her support, patience, and understanding over the last few years. Without her support, I would have never made it. Table of Contents 1. Background................................................................................................................. 7 1.1. Introduction......................................................................................................... 7 1.2. Uses, Production, and Structure.......................................................................... 7 1.3. Source of NP to the Environment ..................................................................... 10 1.4. Endocrine Disruption and Reasons for Concern............................................... 12 1.5. Biodegradation Studies ..................................................................................... 14 1.6. Summary........................................................................................................... 16 2. Method Development for Analysis of Nonylphenol................................................. 17 2.1. Objective........................................................................................................... 17 2.2. Review of Previous Methods............................................................................ 17 2.3. Method Development........................................................................................ 18 3. Enrichment by the Use of Aerobic Respirometers ................................................... 20 3.1. Materials and Methods...................................................................................... 20 3.2. Results and Discussion ..................................................................................... 21 4. Aerobic Biodegradation of Nonylphenol in Microcosms: Estimation of Rate by Individual Nonylphenol Isomers....................................................................................... 27 4.1. Abstract............................................................................................................. 27 4.2. Introduction....................................................................................................... 27 4.3. Materials and Methods...................................................................................... 30 4.4. Results and Discussion ..................................................................................... 33 1 5. Biodegradation of NP Using Anaerobic Respirometers ........................................... 44 5.1. Abstract............................................................................................................. 44 5.2. Introduction....................................................................................................... 44 5.3. Materials and Methods...................................................................................... 47 5.4. Results and Discussion ..................................................................................... 50 6. Summary, Conclusions, and Future Work................................................................ 56 6.1. Summary........................................................................................................... 56 6.2. Conclusions....................................................................................................... 59 6.3. Future Work...................................................................................................... 60 7. Bibliography ............................................................................................................. 63 8. Appendix 1: Analysis of Nonylphenol and Octylphenol in Bioslurry and Sediment by Full Scan Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)................................... 71 8.1. Scope and Application ...................................................................................... 71 8.2. Summary of Method ......................................................................................... 71 8.3. Interferences and Potential Problems................................................................ 72 8.4. Safety and Waste Management......................................................................... 72 8.5. Equipment, Reagents and Supplies................................................................... 74 8.6. Sample Collection, Preservation and Handling ................................................ 76 8.7. Quality Control ................................................................................................. 76 8.8. On going QC..................................................................................................... 77 8.9. Calibration......................................................................................................... 77 8.10. Procedure ...................................................................................................... 81 8.11. Routine Analysis........................................................................................... 85 2 8.12. Troubleshooting Guide ................................................................................. 87 8.13. Tables and Validation ................................................................................... 90 8.14. References..................................................................................................... 94 9. Appendix 2: Total Biomass Analysis ....................................................................... 96 9.1. Summary of Method ......................................................................................... 96 9.2. References......................................................................................................... 97 10. Appendix 3: Preparation of Microbiological Media............................................. 98 10.1. Introduction................................................................................................... 98 10.2. Preparation of RST Basal Microbiological Media........................................ 98 10.3. Preparation of the Reduced Anaerobic Microbiological Media (RAMM)... 99 10.4. References................................................................................................... 102 3 List