Comparative degradation by micro-organisms of terephthalic acid, 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, their esters and polyesters

Various derivatives of terephthalic acid (TA) and 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid (NDA) have been degraded in the presence of various strains of micro-organisms. These compounds include the dimethylesters (TME and NDME), the ethylene glycoldiesters (TGE and NDGE) and the corresponding ethylene glycol polyesters (PET and PEN). The terephthalic acid derivatives were shown not to be degraded by a pure strain of nonsporulating gram-positive bacteria isolated from an industrial compost for household refuse although this micro-organism efficiently mineralizes aliphatic polyesters. The naphthalene dicarboxylic acid and derivatives did not allow growth of various Pseudomonas strains which assimilate naphthalene and some of its simple derived compounds. Therefore, isolation of micro-organisms degrading these aromatic acids and ester derivatives was performed using an enrichment technique. Garden soil or compost was used as sources of micro-organisms. Six strains efficiently degrading TA, TME and TGE were isolated while only two strains assimilating NDA and NDME slowly, inefficiently and with a bad reproductibility were obtained. PET and PEN were degraded by none of these strains. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.SCOPUS: re.j