Editing Creosote (section)

====p-Cresol====
[[File:P-cresol degradation to benzoate.png|frameless|upright=2.25]]

This reaction shows the oxidation of p-cresol in a sulfate-enriched environment.<ref name="Smolenski"/> P-cresol was seen to be the easiest to degrade through the sulfate-enriched environment, while m-cresol and o-cresol where inhibited.<ref name="Smolenski"/> In the chart above, p-cresol was oxidized under an anaerobic sulfate reducing condition and formed four different intermediates.<ref name="Smolenski"/> After the formation of the intermediates, the study reported further degradation of the intermediates leading to the production of carbon dioxide and methane.<ref name="Smolenski"/> The p-hydroxylbenzyl alcohol, p-hydroxylbenzaldehye, p-hyrdoxylbenzoate, and benzoate intermediates all are produced from this oxidation and released into the sediments.<ref name="Smolenski"/> Similar results were also produced by different studies using other forms of oxidation such as: iron-reducing organisms,<ref name=Lovley1990/> Copper/Manganese Oxide catalyst,<ref name=wang2004/> and nitrate- reducing conditions.<ref name=Bossert1986/>