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Biodegradation and Bioremediation of Halogenated Organic Compounds

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Biodegradation and Bioremediation

Part of the book series: Soil Biology ((SOILBIOL,volume 2))

Abstract

Halo-organic compounds are among the most problematic pollutants. The relatively great electronegativity of halogens often confers chemical stability to halo-organic compounds, thereby making these compounds recalcitrant to biodegradation. Halogen substituents can increase the hydrophobicity of organic compounds, increasing their tendency to bioaccumulate in food chains as well as to sorb to soil. Finally, halogen substituents can contribute to harmful biological effects of organic compounds, increasing their toxicity, mutagenicity and other detrimental capacities. This chapter will focus on types of halo-organic compounds that have become important soil pollutants and that have the potential, demonstrated or theoretical, to be bioremediated. Generally, the potential for bioremediation requires that a halo-organic compound can be biodegraded, partly or completely destroyed by metabolism. Despite the metabolic challenges posed by halo-organic compounds, microorganisms have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to biodegrade such compounds.

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  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 300-6174 University Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    William W. Mohn

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  1. William W. Mohn
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  1. Petrozyme Technologies Inc., 7496 Wellington Road 34, R.R.#, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 6H9, Canada

    Ajay Singh (Director R&D, Adjunct Faculty Member) (Director R&D, Adjunct Faculty Member)

  2. Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, N2L 3G1, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    Ajay Singh (Director R&D, Adjunct Faculty Member) & Owen P. Ward (Professor of Microbial Biotechnology) (Director R&D, Adjunct Faculty Member) &  (Professor of Microbial Biotechnology)

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Mohn, W.W. (2004). Biodegradation and Bioremediation of Halogenated Organic Compounds. In: Singh, A., Ward, O.P. (eds) Biodegradation and Bioremediation. Soil Biology, vol 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-06066-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-06066-7_6

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-05929-2

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