Abstract
Screening studies with strict and facultative anaerobic bacteria showed that Clostridium app. and several other representatives of Bacillaceae and Enterobacteriaceae actively degraded γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) under anaerobic conditions. Representatives of Lactobacillaceae and Propronibacterium were inactive. With 36Cl-labelled γ-HCH a nearly complete dechlorination was shown to occur in 4–6 days by Clostridium butyricum, C. pasteurianum and Citrobacter freundii, while other facultative anaerobic species were less active.
Aerobically grown facultative anaerobes also dechlorinated actively γ-HCH during subsequent anaerobic incubation with glucose, pyruvate or formate as substrates. The α-, β- and δ-HCH isomers were also, but more slowly, dechlorinated (γ>α>β≥δ-HCH). All species active in anaerobic degradation of γ-HCH formed γ-tetrachlorocyclohexene (TCH) as the main intermediate metabolite and no γ-pentachlorocyclohexene (PCH) or other isomers of TCH or PCH have been found. Small amounts of tri- and tetrachlorinated benzenes have been found too. The mechanism of dechlorination is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- γ-HCH:
-
γ-hexachlorocyclohexane
- γ-TCH:
-
γ-2,3,4,5-tetrachlorocyclohexene
- γ-PCH:
-
γ-1,2,3,4,5-pentachlorocyclohexene
- GLC:
-
gas liquid chromatography
References
Anderson, J. P. E., Lichtenstein, E. P., Wittingham, W. F.: Effect of Mucor alternans on the persistence of DDT and dieldrin in culture and soil. J. Econ. Entomol. 63, 1595–1599 (1970)
Benezet, J. H., Matsumura, F.: Isomerization of γ-BHC to α-BHC in the environment. Nature (Lond.) 243, 480–481 (1973)
Buchanan, B. B., Arnon, D. I.: Ferredoxins: Chemistry and function in photosynthetis, nitrogen fixation and fermentative metabolism. Adv. Enzymol. 33, 119–176 (1970)
Campbell, N. E. R., Evans, H. J.: Use of Pankhurst tubes to assay acetylene reduction by facultative and anaerobic nitrogen fixing bacteria. Can. J. Microbiol. 15, 1342–1343 (1969)
Decker, K., Jungermann, K., Thauer, R. K.: Wege der Energiegewinnung in Anaerobiern. Angew. Chemie 82, 153–174 (1970)
Engst, R., Macholz, R. M., Kujawa, M.: The metabolism of lindane and its metabolites. γ-2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorocyclohexene, pentachlorobenzene, and pentachlorophenol in rats and the pathways of lindane metabolism. J. Environ. Sci. Health. 11, 95–117 (1976)
Guenzi, W. D., Beard, W. E.: Anaerobic conversion of DDT to DDD and anaerobic stability of DDT in soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc. 32, 522–524 (1968)
Haider, K., Jagnow, G.: Abbau von 14C-, 3H- und 36Cl-markiertem γ-Hexachlorcyclohexan durch anaerobe Bodenmikroorganismen. Arch. Microbiol. 104, 113–121 (1975)
Haider, K., Jagnow, G., Rohr, R.: Anaerober Abbau von γ-Hexachlorcyclohexan durch eine bakterielle Mischflora des Bodens und des Kuhpansens. Landwirtsch. Forsch. 32/II, 147–152 (1976)
Hashimoto, H., Simon, H.: Reduktion Dehalogenierung β-halogenierter Fettsäuren und stereospezifische Hydrierung α-halogenierter, β-ungesättigter Fettsäuren durch Clostridium kluyveri. Angew. Chem. 87, 111–112 (1975)
Hill, D. W., McCarty, P. L.: Anaerobic degradation of selected chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides. J. Water Poll. Contr. Fed. 39, 1259–1277 (1967)
Hissett, R., Gray, T. R. G.: Bacterial populations of litter and soil in a deciduous woodland. 1. Qualitative studies. Rev. Ecol. Biol. du Sol. 10, 495–508 (1973)
Kohli, J., Weisgerber, I., Klein, W.: Balance of conversion of (14C) lindane in lettuce in hydroponic culture. Pest. Biochem. Physiol. 6, 91–97 (1976)
Kohnen, R., Haider, K., Jagnow, G.: Investigations on the microbial degradation of lindane in submerged and aerated moist soil. Environm. Qual. Safety, Vol. III (F. Coulston, F. Korte, eds.), pp. 222–225. Stuttgart: Thieme 1975
Kujawa, M., Härtig, M., Macholz, R. M., Engst, R.: Der Abbau von 14C-Lindan durch eine Schimmelpilzkultur. Nahrung 20, 181–183 (1976)
MacRae, I. C., Raghu, K., Bautista, E. M.: Anaerobic degradation of the insecticide lindane by Clostridium spec. Nature (Lond.) 221, 859–860 (1969)
MacRae, I. C., Raghu, K., Castro, T. F.: Persistance and biodegradation of four common isomers of benzene hexachloride in submerged soil. J. Agr. Food Chem. 15, 911–914 (1967)
McBride, B. C., Wolfe, R. S.: Inhibition of methanogenesis by DDT. Nature (Lond.) 234, 551–552 (1971)
Münster, J., Schulte-Hermann, R., Koransky, W., Hoyer, G.-A.: Über die Rolle von Pentachlorocyclohexen bei Stoffwechsel und Wirkung von Hexachlorocyclohexan. I. Synthese von β-Pentachlorocyclohexen und seine Identifizierung ais Monodehydrochlorierungsprodukt von α-Hexachlorocyclohexan. Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. 356, 437–447 (1975)
Orloff, H. D., Kolka, H. J., Calingaert, G., Griffin, M. E., Kerr, E. R.: The partial additive chlorination of the benzene ring. II. The isomers of benzene tetrachloride. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 75, 4243–4249 (1953)
Primrose, S. B., Dilworth, M. V.: Ethylene production by bacteria. J. Gen. Microbiol. 93, 177–181 (1976)
Schrauzer, G. N.: Neucre Entwicklungen auf dem Gebiet des Vitamins B12. Von einfachen Corrinen und von Coenzym B12 abhängige Enzymreaktionen. Angew. Chemie 89, 239–251 (1977)
Schuphan, S., Ballschmiter, K.: Metabolismus von Hexachlorbicyclo-[2.2.1]-hept-2-en: Abbau des polychlorierten Gerüstes durch Clostridium butyricum. Z. Pflanzenkrank. Pflanzenschutz 79, 23–26 (1972)
Sethunathan, N.: Microbial degradation of insecticides in flooded soil and in anaerobic cultures. Residue Rev. 47, 143–166 (1973)
Siddaramappa, R., Sethunathan, N.: Persistance of γ-BHC and and β-BHC in Indian rice soils under flooded conditions. Pestic. Sci. 6, 395–403 (1975)
Stein, K., Portig, J., Koransky, W.: Oxidative transformation of hexachlorocyclohexane in rats and with liver microsomes. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 298, 115–128 (1977)
Stotter, D. A.: Metal centers and DDT. Inorg. Nucl. Chem. 39, 721–728 (1977)
Thauer, R. K., Fuchs, G., Jungermann, K.: Role of iron-sulfur proteins in formate metabolism. In: Iron-sulphur proteins, Vol. III, pp. 121–156. New York-San Francisco-London: Academic Press 1977
Tsukano, Y., Kobayashi, A.: Formation of γ-BTC in flooded rice field soils treated with γ-BHC. Agr. Biol. Chem. 36, 166–167 (1972)
Tu, C. M.: Interaction between lindane and microbes in soils. Arch. Microbiol. 105, 131–134 (1975)
Tu, C. M.: Utilization and degradation of lindane by soil microorganisms. Arch. Microbiol. 108, 259–263 (1976)
Wood, J. M., Kennedy, F. S., Wolfe, R. S.: Reaction of multihalogenated hydrocarbons with free and bound reduced vitamin B12. Biochemistry 7, 1707–1712 (1968)
Yoshida, T.: Microbial metabolism of flooded soils. In: Soil biochemistry, Vol. 3 (E. A. Paul, D. McLaren, eds.), pp. 83–122, New York: Dekker 1975
Yoshida, T., Castro, T. F.: Degradation of γ-BHC in rice soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc. 34, 440–448 (1970)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jagnow, G., Haider, K. & Ellwardt, P.C. Anaerobic dechlorination and degradation of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers by anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 115, 285–292 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446454
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446454