cap alpha. -Hexachlorocyclohexane in soil under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

A case study was carried out to determined the bio-degradability of ..cap alpha..-HCH in waste dumps polluted with HCH-isomers. Polluted soil was homogenized through a 2 mm sieve. The degradation of ..cap alpha..-HCH (5300 mg kg/sup -1/) occurred under anaerobic as well as under aerobic conditions; the concentration decreased in 20 weeks with 35% and 55% respectively. Addition of glucose, glutamic acid and peptone to the polluted soil hardly affected the degradation rate of ..cap alpha..-HCH.