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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Aerobic Biodegradation Testing of Materials Using a Natural Marine Seawater Inoculum and Closed Loop Respirometer
Published on: October 24, 2025
Aerobic degradation of diethyl phthalate by Sphingomonas sp
Herbert H P Fang1, Dawei Liang, Tong Zhang
1Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. hrechef@hkucc.hku.hk
Abstract:
An aerobic diethyl phthalate (DEP) degrading bacterium, DEP-AD1, was isolated from activated sludge. Based on its 16S rDNA sequence, this isolate was identified belonging to Sphingomonas genus with 99% similarity to Sphingomonas sp. strain C28242 and 98% similarity to S. capsulate. The specific degradation rate of DEP was concentration dependent with a maximum of 14 mg-DEP/(Lh). Results of degradation tests showed that DEP-AD1 could also degrade monoethyl phthalate (MEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), but not phthalate and benzoate.
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