The biodegradation of monomeric and dimeric alkylammonium surfactants

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are salts known for having antiseptic and disinfectant properties. These compounds are toxic to aquatic organisms and should thus be removed from wastewater before its discharge into surface waters. The biodegradation of QACs takes place in the presence of microorganisms under aerobic conditions. The susceptibility of these compounds to degradation depends on numerous parameters. A number of them, such as the structure-adsorption on solids, and concentration of the QACs, as well as the presence of additional substances, have been reviewed in this article. Moreover, the biodegradability of new dimeric alkylammonium salts, i.e., cationic gemini surfactants, has been discussed and compared with that of anionic and nonionic geminis. The biodegradation study of monomeric and dimeric alkylammonium surfactants show that they are not easily degraded. The degradation process is very complex and strongly depends on the structure of the compound, adsorption-desorption processes on sludge, type of microorganism consortia and the presence of anions. Alkylammonium surfactants with biological motifs, like amide, peptides or carbohydrates, are much better degraded.