title: Identification of the proton source for the microbial reductive dechlorination of 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorobiphenyl.
abstract: Microbially mediated reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in anaerobic sediments has been observed during laboratory experiments. Reductive dechlorination is a two-electron transfer reaction which involves the release of chlorine as a chloride ion and its replacement on the aromatic ring by hydrogen. The exact mechanism of the electron transfer for PCBs is unknown; however, this work shows that the source of the hydrogen atom is the proton (H) from water.
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2125.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nies
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Vogel