The effects of acetate and benzoate on anaerobic degradation of terephthalate (1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)
by a syntrophic methanogenic culture were studied by Kleerebezem et al. (1999). They
observed that decarboxylation of terephthalate resulting in the formation of benzoate, was strictly
dependent on the concomitant fermentation of benzoate.