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Biological Reductive Dechlorination Of Tetrachloroethylene And Trichloroethylene To Ethylene Under Methanogenic Conditions, David L. Freedman, James M. Gossett
Biological Reductive Dechlorination Of Tetrachloroethylene And Trichloroethylene To Ethylene Under Methanogenic Conditions, David L. Freedman, James M. Gossett
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A biological process for remediation of groundwater contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) can only be applied if the transformation products are environmentally acceptable. Studies with enrichment cultures of PCE- and TCE-degrading microorganisms provide evidence that, under methanogenic conditions, mixed cultures are able to completely dechlorinate PCE and TCE to ethylene, a product which is environmentally acceptable. Radiotracer studies with [14C]PCE indicated that [14C]ethylene was the terminal product; significant conversion to 14CO2 or 14CH4 was not observed. The rate-limiting step in the pathway appeared to be conversion of vinyl chloride to ethylene. To sustain reductive dechlorination of PCE and …