Studies related to biological detoxification of kraft pulp mill effluent. I. The biodegradation of dehydroabietic acid with Mortierella isabellina

Abstract

A study related to biological detoxification of kraft pulp mill effluent is presented. A series of fungal and bacterial preparations were evaluated for their action on dehydroabietic acid (DHA), one of the effluent constituents toxic to fish. Mortierella isabellina was the organism selected for the biodegradation of DHA and subsequent chemical studies established the structures of four novel diterpenoid substances with very much lower acute toxicity to Daphnia pulex.