title: Microbial dehalogenation of organohalides in marine and estuarine environments.
abstract: Marine sediments are the ultimate sink and a major entry way into the food chain for many highly halogenated and strongly hydrophobic organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT). Microbial reductive dehalogenation in anaerobic sediments can transform these contaminants into less toxic and more easily biodegradable products. Although little is still known about the diversity of respiratory dehalogenating bacteria and their catabolic genes in marine habitats, the occurrence of dehalogenation under actual site conditions has been reported. This suggests that the activity of dehalogenating microbes may contribute, if properly stimulated, to the in situ bioremediation of marine and estuarine contaminated sediments.
authors: Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: giulio.zanaroli@unibo.it.
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Zanaroli
authors: Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Negroni
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, 76 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
authors: Max M
authors: MM
authors: Häggblom
authors: Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Fava
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000378:metabolism; D020387:Food Chain; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D054879:Halogenation; D006219:Halogens / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006219:Halogens