Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Book chapters
DOI 10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_108
Title (Primary) Toxicity of hydrocarbons to microorganisms
Title (Secondary) Microbial utilization of hydrocarbons, oils and lipids
Author Heipieper, H.J. ORCID logo ; Martínez, P.M.
Publisher Timmis, K.N.; McGenity, T.; van den Meer, J.R.; de Lorenzo, V.
Source Titel Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology
Year 2010
Department UMB; UBT
Volume Vol. 2, Part 9
Page From 1565
Page To 1573
Language englisch
UFZ inventory Leipzig, Bibliothek, Hauptlesesaal, 00358095, 09-1341 DK: 579.222.5 Han
Abstract Several classes of organic compounds are toxic for living organisms as they accumulate in and disrupt cell membranes. In these cases, the dose-dependent toxicity of a compound correlates with the logarithm of its partition coefficient between octanol and water (logP). Substances with a logP value between 1 and 5 are, in general, toxic for whole cells. Therefore, toxic effects of hydrocarbons on microorganisms can cause problems in bioremediation of highly contaminated sites. The toxic effect of most hydrocarbons is caused by general, nonspecific effects on membrane fluidity due to their accumulation in the lipid bilayer. Only exceptions are hydrocarbons with specific chemically active functional groups such as aldehydes and epoxides that show an additional chemical toxicity. Most compounds with a higher hydrophobicity than logP of 4 such as e.g., alkanes, PAHs, and biphenyl(s) have very low water solubility, thus their bioavailability is too low to show a toxic effect. By combining the logP value with the water solubility of a compound the maximum membrane concentration (MMC) of a compound can be calculated. By using this parameter it is possible to predict the potential toxicity even of unknown hydrocarbons.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=10072
Heipieper, H.J., Martínez, P.M. (2010):
Toxicity of hydrocarbons to microorganisms
In: Timmis, K.N., McGenity, T., van den Meer, J.R., de Lorenzo, V. (eds.)
Microbial utilization of hydrocarbons, oils and lipids
Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Vol. 2, Part 9
Springer International Publishing, Cham, p. 1565 - 1573 10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_108