This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fathepure, B Z Articles by Boyd, S A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fathepure, B Z Articles by Boyd, S A Agricola Articles by Fathepure, B Z Articles by Boyd, S A

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 December; 54(12): 2976-2980

Dependence of tetrachloroethylene dechlorination on methanogenic substrate consumption by Methanosarcina sp. strain DCM.

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1325.

ABSTRACT

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene, PCE) is a suspected carcinogen and a common groundwater contaminant. Although PCE is highly resistant to aerobic biodegradation, it is subject to reductive dechlorination reactions in a variety of anaerobic habitats. The data presented here clearly establish that axenic cultures of Methanosarcina sp. strain DCM dechlorinate PCE to trichloroethylene and that this is a biological reaction. Growth on methanol, acetate, methylamine, and trimethylamine resulted in PCE dechlorination. The reductive dechlorination of PCE occurred only during methanogenesis, and no dechlorination was noted when CH4 production ceased. There was a clear dependence of the extent of PCE dechlorination on the amount of methanogenic substrate (methanol) consumed. The amount of trichloroethylene formed per millimole of CH4 formed remained essentially constant for a 20-fold range of methanol concentrations and for growth on acetate, methylamine, and trimethylamine. These results suggest that the reducing equivalents for PCE dechlorination are derived from CH4 biosynthesis and that the extent of chloroethylene dechlorination can be enhanced by stimulating methanogenesis. It is proposed that electrons transferred during methanogenesis are diverted to PCE by a reduced electron carrier involved in methane formation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Rossetti, S., Blackall, L. L., Majone, M., Hugenholtz, P., Plumb, J. J., Tandoi, V. (2003). Kinetic and phylogenetic characterization of an anaerobic dechlorinating microbial community. Microbiology 149: 459-469 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Maymó-Gatell, X., Anguish, T., Zinder, S. H. (1999). Reductive Dechlorination of Chlorinated Ethenes and 1,2-Dichloroethane by "Dehalococcoides ethenogenes" 195. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 3108-3113 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kengen, S. W. M., Breidenbach, C. G., Felske, A., Stams, A. J. M., Schraa, G., de Vos, W. M. (1999). Reductive Dechlorination of Tetrachloroethene to cis-1,2-Dichloroethene by a Thermophilic Anaerobic Enrichment Culture. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 2312-2316 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Deipser, A. (1998). Biodegradation of volatile CFCs, H-CFCs and VC in compost and marl. Waste Manag Res 16: 330-341 [Abstract]