Open AccessReductive dechlorination of all trichloro‐ and dichlorobenzene isomers
Author(s) -
Bosma Tom N.P.,
Meer Jan Roelof,
Schraa Gosse,
Tros Marijke E.,
Zehnder Alexander J.B.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1988.tb02668.x
Subject(s) - dichlorobenzene , reductive dechlorination , biodegradation , environmental chemistry , chemistry , mineralization (soil science) , biotransformation , microorganism , organic chemistry , bacteria , nitrogen , geology , paleontology , enzyme
All three isomers of trichlorobenzene were reductively dechlorinated to monochlorobenzene via dichlorobenzenes in anaerobic sediment columns. The dechlorination was specific: 1,2,3‐ and 1,3,5‐trichlorobenzene were solely transformed to 1,3‐dichlorobenzene, while 1,4‐dichlorobenzene was the only product of 1,2,4‐trichlorobenzene transformation. Microorganisms were responsible for the observed transformations. Since monochlorobenzene and dichlorobenzene are mineralized by bacteria in the presence of oxygen, the process of reductive dechlorination may be an important initial step to obtain complete mineralization of otherwise recalcitrant trichlorobenzenes. This is especially true for the 1,3,5‐isomer, which seems to resist biodegradation in oxic environments.