Studies on surfactant function and its environmental science

The fact that the surfactant, octylphenol polyethoxylates (OPEOn), selectively solubilized epicuticular wax suggested the enhanced performance of foliar-applied agrochemicals. The biodegradation process of OPEOn by exo-terminal oxidation and subsequent ether cleavage of the EO chain was precisely characterized by the identification of the key intermediate and the cloned alcohol oxidase. Environmental elements, such as Ca2+, Mg2+ and Fe3+, may influence the activity and rate of biodegradation in the environment. A highly reliable method for phylogenetic analysis at the strain level was developed using ribosomal subunit proteins, as theoretical biomarkers, encoded in the S10-spc-alpha operon with a validation procedure. (C) Pesticide Science Society of Japan