Redutive Dehalogenation of Chlorinated Alkanes by Novel Bacteria at the PetroProcessor of Louisiana Inc. Superfund Site
type: CreativeWork
description: A reductively dehalogenating enrichment culture was established using chloroalkane-contaminated groundwater from the PetroProcessors of Louisiana, Inc. (PPI) Superfund site. Two novel, strictly anaerobic bacterial strains, designated as BL-DC-8 and BL-DC-9, were isolated from the enrichment culture. These strains represent the first bacteria known to anaerobically dehalogenate 1,2,3-trichloropropane, the degradation pathway of which was determined. Both strains could be cultured in completely defined basal medium and were also able to dehalogenate a variety of other vicinally chlorinated alkanes including 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and 1,2-dichloropropane via dichloroelimination reactions. Chlorinated alkanes containing only a single chlorine substituent (1-chloropropane, 2-chloropropane), chlorinated alkenes (tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethenes, vinyl chloride), and chlorinated benzenes (1-chlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene) were not dehalogenated. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed these isolates to represent a new lineage within the Chloroflexi. Their closest previously cultured relatives are “Dehalococcoides” strains with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of only 90%. A quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) approach targeting 16S rRNA genes indicated that both strains couple reductive dechlorination to cell growth. Growth was not observed in the absence of hydrogen (H2) as an electron donor and a polychlorinated alkane as an electron acceptor. Oligonucleotide primers targeting signature 16S rRNA gene sequences of the novel isolates were used in conjunction with primers targeting “Dehalococcoides” strains to investigate spatial distribution and relative abundance of dehalogenating bacteria within the dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zone at the PPI site. Results revealed the presence of bacteria similar or identical to strains BL-DC-8 and BL-DC-9 as well as “De…
abstract: A reductively dehalogenating enrichment culture was established using chloroalkane-contaminated groundwater from the PetroProcessors of Louisiana, Inc. (PPI) Superfund site. Two novel, strictly anaerobic bacterial strains, designated as BL-DC-8 and BL-DC-9, were isolated from the enrichment culture. These strains represent the first bacteria known to anaerobically dehalogenate 1,2,3-trichloropropane, the degradation pathway of which was determined. Both strains could be cultured in completely defined basal medium and were also able to dehalogenate a variety of other vicinally chlorinated alkanes including 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and 1,2-dichloropropane via dichloroelimination reactions. Chlorinated alkanes containing only a single chlorine substituent (1-chloropropane, 2-chloropropane), chlorinated alkenes (tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethenes, vinyl chloride), and chlorinated benzenes (1-chlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene) were not dehalogenated. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed these isolates to represent a new lineage within the Chloroflexi. Their closest previously cultured relatives are “Dehalococcoides” strains with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of only 90%. A quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) approach targeting 16S rRNA genes indicated that both strains couple reductive dechlorination to cell growth. Growth was not observed in the absence of hydrogen (H2) as an electron donor and a polychlorinated alkane as an electron acceptor. Oligonucleotide primers targeting signature 16S rRNA gene sequences of the novel isolates were used in conjunction with primers targeting “Dehalococcoides” strains to investigate spatial distribution and relative abundance of dehalogenating bacteria within the dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zone at the PPI site. Results revealed the presence of bacteria similar or identical to strains BL-DC-8 and BL-DC-9 as well as “De…
author: Yan, Jun
keywords: chlorosolvents, reductive dechlorination, anaerobic
date published: 2008-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:57:49Z
provider: Lousiana State University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Civil and Environmental Engineering

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.510