Yasuo Homma

Degradation of N-Lauroyl-L-valine in Soil and the Effect of Sunlight and Ultraviolet Rays on N-Lauroyl-L-valine

The degradation of N-lauroyl-l-valine in soil and the effects of sunlight and ultraviolet radiation on this compound were studied. When N-lauroyl-l-valine was added to the soil extract, a precipitate was observed. The precipitate was thought to be a salt formed from one calcium atom and two molecules of N-lauroyl-l-valine. These data indicated that N-lauroyl-l-valine was absorbed firmly in the soil. Qualitative analysis of compounds formed during incubation of soil with N-lauroyl-l-valine was investigated by gas chromatography. Laurie acid (C12) and capric acid (C10) were detected in the medium after incubation. The amino acid could be determined quantitatively by a microbial assay method. The experiment using N-lauroyl-l-valine (14C) indicated that 14CO2 was produced as a final product. These data suggested that N-lauroyl-l-valine was spilt to lauric acid and l-valine, and the lauric acid was degraded to CO2 through capric acid by β-oxidation. The parent compound, N-lauroyl-l-valine was stable to sunligh...