During the production of the pesticide lindane (
BORDER=0 >-hexachlorocyclohexane;
-HCH), large quantities of
byproducts, like the
-,
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-, and
-HCH isomers,were discarded at dump sites.
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-HCH was found to
be extremely persistent in the environment underaero
bic conditions. We studied the degradation ofthisisomer under methanogenic conditions in a flow-through column packed with polluted sediment.
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-HCHwas completely removed in this system. Chloro
benzene was detected in the effluent as a product. A
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-HCH transforming anaero
bic enrichment culture waso
btained in
batch cultures
by using the columnmaterial as inoculum.
-2,3,4,5-Tetrachlorocyclohexeneis proposed as an intermediate during transformation,while
benzene and chloro
benzene were formed assta
ble end products. The enrichment culture was alsoa
ble to dechlorinate
-HCH at a compara
ble rateand
- and
-HCH at lower rates. Dechlorinationwasinhi
bited
by the addition of vancomycin,
but not
bythe addition of
bromoethanesulfonic acid.Pasteurizationinhi
bited dechlorination completely. This is thefirstdetailed description of the
biodegradation of
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-HCH,including intermediate and end product identification,under defined anaero
bic conditions.