Oxidative and reductive conversions of xenobiotics

(chlorinated hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds)
Anaerobic microorganisms can be applied to remediate polluted soils contaminated with chlorinated organic compounds or aromatic hydrocarbons. Depending on the type of compounds a reductive or oxidative microbial process is required.

We study both the anaerobic reductive conversion of highly chlorinated compounds and the anaerobic oxidation of aromatic compounds like benzene or lower chlorinated compounds with nitrate and chlorate as electron acceptor.

Figure1: Benzene is a toxic soil contaminant
Figure1: Benzene is a toxic soil contaminant

Chlorate reduction is an unique process because molecular oxygen is generated during the reduction of chlorate. The oxygen produced can act as electron acceptor and/or may be used to activate organic molecules (Figure2). The degradation of benzene with chlorate may involve interspecies oxygen transfer.

Figure 2: Hypothetical pathway of degradation of n-decane coupled to chlorate reduction. Oxygen released from chlorite dismutation is used by a presumed oxygenase to incorporate in the n-alkane molecule to form an alcohol and later on an aldehyde. Further degradation may occur in the absence of oxygen
Figure 2: Hypothetical pathway of degradation of n-decane coupled to chlorate reduction. Oxygen released from chlorite dismutation is used by a presumed oxygenase to incorporate in the n-alkane molecule to form an alcohol and later on an aldehyde. Further degradation may occur in the absence of oxygen