Reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethene by a high rate anaerobic microbial consortium

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Environmental Health Perspectives

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.95103s45· OSTI ID:486404

Zinder, S H; Gossett, J M ^[1]

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1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)

Tetrachloroethene (PCE) and other chloroethenes are major contaminants in groundwater, and PCE is particularly resistant to attack by aerobes. We have developed an anaerobic enrichment culture that carries out reductive dechlorination of chloroethenes to ethene at high rates, thereby detoxifying them. Although the electron donor added to the culture is methanol, our evidence indicates that H{sub 2} is the electron donor used directly for dechlorination. We have recently obtained a culture from a 10{sup -6} dilution of the original methanol/PCE culture that uses H{sub 2} as an electron donor for PCE dechlorination. Because the culture can be transferred indefinitely and the rate of PCE dechlorination increases after inoculation, we suggest that dechlorinating organisms in the culture use the carbon-chlorine bonds in chloroethenes as electron acceptors for energy conservation. 12 refs., 2 figs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 486404
• Report Number(s): CONF-9304308--
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives, Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal Issue: Suppl.5 Vol. 103; ISSN EVHPAZ; ISSN 0091-6765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BIODEGRADATION
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
DECHLORINATION
GROUND WATER
METHANOL
REMEDIAL ACTION