F. (Farrakh) Mehboob: “Anaerobic microbial degradation of organic pollutants with chlorate as electron acceptor”

  News
  Newsroom
  Dossiers
  Archive
  Calendar
  2012
  2011
  2010
  2009
  2008
  2007
  2006
  2005
  2004
  2003
  2002
  2001
  2000
  1999
  News
  RSS
  Calendar
  Open days
  Courses
  Congresses and symposia
  PhD-graduations and speeches

19 Jan 2010 16:00
Unit: Wageningen University
Location: Aula, building 362, Gen. Foulkesweg 1, Wageningen
Organisation: Wageningen University
Promotor: prof.dr. ir. A. J. M. Stams (Microbiology)
Co Promotor: Dr.ir. G. Schraa

 Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons are two groups of compounds that are widespread pollutants. The aerobic microbial degradation of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons proceeds in general fast and has been widely studied, while the biodegradation in anoxic environments is often incomplete, proceeds at lower rates and is less characterized. Chlorate reduction is a unique process which yields molecular oxygen upon microbial reduction in anoxic environments. This can be of practical significance, since the oxygen released can be incorporated inside the anaerobically recalcitrant compounds by oxygenases to form hydroxylated derivatives which can be further degraded easily either aerobically or anaerobically. We have found that Pseudomonas chloritidismutans AW-1T, which is a known chlorate-reducing bacterium, can combine the oxidation of n-alkanes and the reduction of chlorate. Similarly this bacterium can combine the degradation of benzoate and catechol with chlorate reduction. We studied the physiological and biochemical properties of this bacterium while growth on these compounds. With the help of proteogenomics we annotated the key proteins involved. Our findings suggest that oxygen released during chlorate reduction can be used to degrade the anaerobically recalcitrant compounds and chlorate reduction has a very high potential for bioremediation of anoxic soils.   

Anaerobic microbial degradation of organic pollutants with chlorate as electron acceptor
Print this activity