Identification of the key factors affecting composting of a weathered hydrocarbon-contaminated soil

The batch culture degradation of NASA wastewater containing mixtures of citric acid, methylhydrazine, and their reaction product was studied. The organic contaminants present in the NASA wastewater were degraded by Achromobacter sp., Rhodococcus B30 and Rhodococcus J10. While the Achromobacter sp. showed a preference for the degradation of the citric acid, the Rhodococcus species were most effective in reducing the methylhydrazine and the reaction product. Removals of more than 50% were observed for citric acid, methylhydrazine and the reaction product when the NASA wastewater was inoculated with the microbes in batch cultures. Simulation and chemical characterization of citric acid and hydrazine mixtures show that the interaction is partly of a chemical nature and leads to the formation of a conjugated UV/Visible absorbing compound. An 'azo' carbonyl derivative of the citric acid, consistent with the spectral data obtained from the investigation, has been proposed as the possible product.