Abstract
The biodegradation pathways of α-SFMe were determined based on changes in the chemical structure of C14-α-SFMe by IR, NMR and HPLC analyses in the MITI test.
Microbial attack on the surfactant structure was initiated by ω-oxidation to form a carboxyl group and continued with β-oxidation, causing the removal of two carbons at a time, to form a temporary intermediate, monomethyl α-sulfosuccinate. Degradation subsequently occurred by desulfonation.