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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
15:19
Development of Sulfidogenic Sludge from Marine Sediments and Trichloroethylene Reduction in an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor
Published on: October 15, 2015
10.3K
Diverse Reductive Dehalogenases Are Associated with Clostridiales-Enriched Microcosms Dechlorinating
Giuseppe Merlino1, Annalisa Balloi2, Massimo Marzorati3
1Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy ; Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
Biomed Research International
|August 15, 2015
Summary
Biostimulation enhanced groundwater cleanup by enriching specific bacteria. Researchers identified novel genes in Clostridiales bacteria responsible for degrading 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) pollution.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Bioremediation
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Effective bioremediation requires understanding microbial communities and their catabolic genes.
- Groundwater contamination with 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) poses significant environmental challenges.
- Biostimulation strategies aim to enhance microbial degradation of pollutants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the bacterial community structure and function in anaerobic microcosms.
- To identify key microorganisms and genes involved in 1,2-DCA biodegradation.
- To investigate the impact of lactate biostimulation on microbial populations and catabolic potential.
Main Methods:
- Multilevel analysis of bacterial communities in biostimulated microcosms.
- Metagenomic analysis to identify functional genes.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting reductive dehalogenase (RD) genes.
Main Results:
- Lactate biostimulation significantly altered the bacterial community structure.
- Enrichment of bacteria belonging to the order Clostridiales was observed.
- Four novel variants of reductive dehalogenases (RDs) associated with 1,2-DCA degradation were identified.
Conclusions:
- Biostimulation with lactate effectively reshaped the microbial community for 1,2-DCA degradation.
- The Clostridiales-dominated community possesses novel genetic potential for reductive dechlorination.
- This study provides insights into microbial mechanisms for cleaning up 1,2-DCA contaminated sites.
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