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Photooxidative Degradation of Ligninsulfonate to Substrates Enhancing Microbial Growth¹

ABSTRACT

Photolysis was evaluated as a procedure by which a recalcitrant polymer could be modified to improve biological availability. Ligninsulfonate was used as a model substrate, and Aspergillus growth responses measured by fungal dry weight in relation to substrate carbon before and after growth. Ligninsulfonate solutions with initial pH values of 3, 7, and 12 were irradiated, and maximum growth response found to occur where decoloration was achieved. The photolysis time required for decoloration increased with pH. Approximately 50% of the total carbon was utilized in all cases at the point of maximum microbial growth response. Photolysis at all exposure times altered the substrate in such a way as to increase microbial response and, therefore, appears to be an effective method for treating ligninsulfonate to increase microbial degradation.

Key Words: photolysis

¹ Contribution of the Dep. of Microbiology, Oregon St. Univ., Corvallis. 97331. The research was supported by the Environmental Control Adm. and Authorized for publicationas Tech. Paper No. 3209, by the Oregon Agr. Exp. Sta., Corvallis.

² Dep. of Microbiology, Oregon St. Univ., Corvallis. 97331.

³ Dep. of Microbiology, Colorado St. Univ., Fort Collins. 80521.

Received for publication November 11, 1971.