Studies related to biological detoxification of Kraft pulp mill effluent. II. The biotransformation of isopimaric acid with <i>Mortierella isabellina</i>

Abstract

A study related to the biological detoxification of Kraft pulp mill effluent is presented. Several fungal and bacterial preparations were evaluated for their action on isopimaric acid (IPA), one of the effluent constituents toxic to fish. Mortierella isabellina was the organism selected for the biodegradation of IPA and subsequent chemical studies established the structures of three diterpenoid substances with very much lower acute toxicity.