Ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol catabolism by a sewage bacterium.

Bioconsequences Section, Unilever Research Port Sunlight Laboratory, Port Sunlight, Wirral, Merseyside L62 4XN, U.K. Polyethylene glycols are an important group of polymers used in the manufacture of explosives, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In addition, the polyoxyethylene group is the hydrophilic head group of non-ionic surfactants such as the alcohol ethoxylates used in detergent formulations. Ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol are also used as antifreeze and deicing agents. Use of these man-made chemicals results in their discharge to the environment, where they are attacked by the micro-organisms of sewage, river waters and soil. Although biodegradation of polyethylene glycols has been studied by several investigators (Patterson et al., 1967; Sturm, 1973; Pitter, 1973; Evans & David,