PhD Dissertation Defense The Identification of the Microorganisms and the Functional Genes Responsible for the Biodegradation of Vinyl Chloride and RDX using Samples from Contaminated Sites By

Contamination of soil, sediments and groundwater by organic pollutants is a current problem that threatens both human and environmental health. The use of microorganisms to remediate pollution (bioremediation) is a viable option for site remediation. However, limited knowledge exists concerning the key microorganisms involved in the degradation of many pollutants. In this study, specific aspects of the biodegradation of two organic pollutants namely vinyl chloride (VC) and hexahydro1,3,5-trinitro1,3,5-triazine (RDX) were investigated. The overall objectives were to 1) identify the key microorganisms responsible for the degradation of VC and RDX in samples derived from a number of contaminated sites, 2) design specific primers to quantify the key phylotypes involved in VC degradation and 3) design specific primers towards the functional genes associated with RDX degradation.