Degradation of Microbicides under Different Environmental Conditions

Abstract

To determine the biodegradability of some widely used microbicides, these products were dissolved in a mineral solution and synthetic sewage and their breakdown was followed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The results indicated that most biocides will not raise pollution problems provided they are discharged into domestic sewage and subsequently treated by aerobic water purification systems. However, all but a few of the biocides tested failed to be degraded in tests simulating conditions prevailing in oligotrophic aquatic systems or in anaerobic ecosystems.