Anaerobic Degradation, Processes and Test Methods

Several aspects of the anaerobic biodegradation of organic compounds are presented in this paper. The role of molecular oxygen in the metabolism of organic carbon compounds is summarized, followed by a discussion of some of the pathways and the electron acceptors involved in the degradation under anaerobic conditions. Several degradation mechanisms are demonstrated for selected aliphatic and aromatic xenobiotic compounds. Examples are given of factors which will strongly influence a degradation of anthropogenic substances. Finally, existing methods for biodegradability testing, their limitations, and some suggestions for improvements are described.