Chlorinated ethenes are among the most frequently detected groundwater contaminants in industrially developed countries. Although their degradation pathways have been understood, assessing the progress of natural attenuation of chlorinated ethenes still remains a challenge. Chlorinated ethenes undergo sequential reductive dechlorination under anoxic conditions; hence, the presence of less chlor...

Because of a range of different industrial activities, sites contaminated with chloroethenes are a world-wide problem. Chloroethenes can be biodegraded by reductive dechlorination under anaerobic conditions as well as by oxidation under aerobic conditions. The tendency of chloroethenes to undergo reductive dechlorination decreases with a decreasing number of chlorine substituents, whereas with ...

The photolytic and microbial degradation of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP), a metabolite of the insecticide chlorpyrifos and the herbicide triclopyr, has been investigated. TCP (80 mg/L) was decomposed to nondetectable levels within 2 h of ultraviolet irradiation. Release of CO2 and chloride ion was observed; however, approximately 60% of the initial radioactivity remained in the solution. D...

We demonstrated that reductive degradation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (Royal Demolition Explosive, RDX) can be enhanced by bio-reduced iron-bearing soil minerals (IBSMs) using Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 (CN32). The highest rate constant was obtained by bio-reduced lepidocrocite (0.1811 h-1) during RDX degradation, followed by magnetite (0.1700 h-1), green rust (0.0757 h-1), he...

INTRODUCTION Chlorinated ethanes and ethenes are among the most frequently detected organic pollutants of water. Their physicochemical properties are such that they can contaminate aquifers for decades. In favourable conditions, they can undergo degradation. In anaerobic conditions, chlorinated solvents can undergo reductive dechlorination. DEGRADATION PATHWAYS Abiotic dechlorination is usual...

White rot fungi use a variety of mechanisms to accomplish the complete degradation of lignin and a wide variety of environmental pollutants. Both oxidative and reductive reactions are required for the metabolism of both lignin and environmental pollutants. The fungi secrete a family of peroxidases to catalyze both direct and indirect oxidation of chemicals. The peroxidases can also catalyze red...