title: Bioelectrochemically-assisted reductive dechlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane by a Dehalococcoides-enriched microbial culture.
abstract: The aim of this study was to verify the possibility to use a polarized graphite electrode as an electron donor for the reductive dechlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane, an ubiquitous groundwater contaminant. The rate of 1,2-DCA dechlorination almost linearly increased by decreasing the set cathode potential over a broad range of set cathode potentials (i.e., from -300 mV to -900 mV vs. the standard hydrogen electrode). This process was primarily dependent on electrolytic H2 generation. On the other hand, reductive dechlorination proceeded (although quite slowly) with a very high Coulombic efficiency (near 70%) at a set cathode potential of -300 mV, where no H2 production occurred. Under this condition, reductive dechlorination was likely driven by direct electron uptake from the surface of the polarized electrode. Taken as a whole, this study further extends the range of chlorinated contaminants which can be treated with bioelectrochemical systems.
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Via Salaria km. 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy; CERENA, Department of Mining Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; REQUIMTE/LAQV, Institute of Engineering of Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Via Salaria km. 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE/LAQV, Institute of Engineering of Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Henri P A
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Nouws
authors.affiliation: CERENA, Department of Mining Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Danko
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majone
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Via Salaria km. 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy. Electronic address: Aulenta@irsa.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aulenta
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D041862:Chloroflexi / Q000378:metabolism*; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides / Q000378:metabolism*; D054879:Halogenation; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides; C024565:ethylene dichloride; D006859:Hydrogen; D008697:Methane
keywords: 1,2-Dichloroethane; Bioelectrochemical dechlorination; Microbial biocathode; Reductive dechlorination