Studies on the removal of synthetic detergents from the water phase of bottom deposits by physical adsorption and biochemical degradation

Summary

Balance studies on bottom deposits to which standard synthetic detergent (manoxol) was added and which were incubated for three days revealed that biochemical degradation of the detergent takes place to a considerable extent. Maximum degradation as assessed by difference between added and recovered manoxol after incubation takes place in samples of pronounced biochemical activity (dehydrogenase activity), while in samples which exhibit high adsorption characteristics the degradation of manoxol is impaired. In active sediments an increase in the residual adsorbed manoxol was observed in sediments which showed a relatively high adsorption capacity for manoxol. Negligible degradation was found after incubation in sediments lacking biochemical activity.