Organic Phosphonates: Disruption of Plant Metabolism and Degradation by Microorganisms
Abstract
Our goal for the overall research project was to obtain insight into the mechanism used by microbes to cleave the carbone to phosphorus (C-P) bond of organophosphonates. Escherichia coli whole cells and cell lysate were first examined by 31P NMR which did not reveal any degradation products. However, subsequent analysis of volatiles produced in sealed growths of E. coli cultured in medium where alkylphosphonic acids were the only source of phosphorus led to the discovery of hydrocarbons. Analysis of the volatiles relied on gas chromatographic separation and flame ionization detection. Two types of radical-based dephosphorylation processes can be envisioned. One formulation involves intermediacy of a phosphoranyl radical while the other proceeds through a phosphonyl radical.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 12, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA203095
Entities
People
- John W. Frost
- Richard Zare
Organizations
- Stanford University