Nearly Twenty Years after Barry Marshall's Big Gulp

ganic compounds with similar structures into groups of contaminant biodegradation with pure cultures of mi-that make the commonality in basic microbial ap-croorganisms seems tractable with careful design of proaches to degradation readily apparent. The value of media for isolation of the microbes of interest. this book is greatly augmented by the availability of the As excellent as the book is, it could benefit from a University of Minnesota Biocatalysis/Biodegradation chapter that deals with the environmental constraints on data base (http://umbbd.ahc.umn.edu), which summa-biodegradation. Although the biodegradation abilities of rizes a large number of the organic compounds known microorganisms are impressive, biodegradation has not to be susceptible to microbial attack, the pathways for proven to be a panacea for organic contamination of degradation, and some of the microorganisms known the environment. In many instances, the rate of microbial to be capable of carrying out the relevant reactions. decontamination is too slow to prevent the spread of As good a job as this book does in clearly and con-contaminants in groundwater or to restore surface envi-cisely summarizing the vast amount of existing informa-ronments to a state suitable for most human needs. tion on biodegradation, one of its main strengths is con-Reasons for this include (1) the organisms with the ap-sistently emphasizing what is not known and suggesting propriate biodegradative abilities are not present; (2) the areas of investigation ripe for future research. Wackett organisms are present but the availability of nutrients and Hershberger emphasize that there are probably 10 or the appropriate electron donors or acceptors limit million organic compounds on Earth whose biodegrada-activity; or (3) the contaminants are sequestered within tion has not been studied and that the rate of introduc-the environmental matrix in such a way that the microor-tion of new organic compounds by industry is much ganisms cannot access the contaminants. The physiologi-faster than the biodegradation of these compounds can cal stresses on microorganisms living in soils, ground-be investigated. Therefore, there is a need for the devel-water, or aquatic sediments is much different than when opment of strategies that can predict the likely pathway these same organisms are living under more optimal for the biodegradation of uninvestigated compounds conditions in culture flasks, and this can greatly impact without conducting elaborate biodegradation studies. their biodegradative activity. As emphasized in this book, some general rules for bio-One of the prime applications of information on bio-degradation pathways are beginning to emerge, but the …