Bacterial populations and the effect of phosphorus concentration in linear alkyl benzene sulphonate degradation by the OECD screening method.

The evolution of bacterial populations during biodegradation of linear alkyl benzene sulphonate by the OECD screening test was studied by direct microscopic counts, glucose metabolism and thymidine incorporation. Biodegradation dynamics were studied following the disappearance of surfactant and of surface tension. Important variations in bacterial density and activity at the initial stages of degradation were associated with the variability in biodegradation dynamics.