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Anaerobic Biodegradability of Non-Petroleum Oils
Research has demonstrated that vegetable oils are amenable to anaerobic biodegradation. This is in contrast to petroleum oils. Vegetable oils are already oxygenated because they are composed of fatty acids and glycerols, which contribute to the biodegradability. A strategy has been developed that could be a boon to responders who have to clean up vegetable oil spills in inland waterways. The idea is to sink the oil into the sediment with clay and to allow anaerobic biodegradation to take place. This approach would mitigate the immediate exposure to water fowl, thereby protecting the species, and, at the same time, transfer it into the sediment where it can readily mineralize to carbon dioxide and methane.
Contact: Albert D. Venosa, USEPA (EIMS#56298)