Synthesis and biodegradation of model compounds related to hydrocarbon-type dielectric fluids

Abstract

Uniroyal PA0-20E, an oligomer of 1-octene, is a dielectric fluid proposed as a replacement for polychlorinated biphenyls. No studies on its biodegradation have been reported in the literature to date. This thesis contains the results of an investigation of the biodegradability of this commercial product, particularly by micro-organisms. Model compounds, such as 7-methylpentadecane and 7-methyl-9-hexylheptadecane, were employed in the study. A major portion of the study deals with the synthesis of these model compounds by means of the malonic ester synthesis and with the characterisation of intermediate and final products. Incubation experiments have been conducted with Saocharomycopsis lipolytica using PA0-20E and two synthetic model compounds as substrates. Gas chromatographic analyses of the extracts of such cultures did not result in clear evidence of degradation of these compounds by this organism.