Anoxic bioremediation of hydrocarbons (original) (raw)

Nature volume 396, page 730 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

The contamination of soils and sediments by petroleum is a matter of international concern because of the toxicity and refractory character of the aromatic components in the absence of oxygen1. Gaseous oxygen can be injected into the anaerobic zone of a contaminated environment2 to stimulate biodegradation, but this is costly and inefficient. Other more soluble electron acceptors, such as nitrate or sulphate, can be used instead, but oxidation is slow and hydrocarbon degradation is incomplete3. Here we describe how chlorite dismutation by perchlorate-reducing bacteria can be used as an alternative source of oxygen for degrading contaminants. This dismutation of chlorite into molecular oxygen and chloride is an intermediate step in the microbial reduction of perchlorate or chlorate4.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Figure 1: Stimulation of aromatic hydrocarbon oxidation by chlorite dismutation.

References

  1. Anderson, R. T. & Lovley, D. R. Adv. Microbiol. Ecol. 15, 289–350 (1997).
    Book Google Scholar
  2. Crocetti, C. A., Head, C. L. & Ricciardelli, A. J. Aeration-Enhanced Bioremediation of Oil-Contaminated Soils: A Laboratory Treatability Study (National Groundwater Association, Houston, 1992).
  3. Coates, J. D., Anderson, R. T. & Lovley, D. R. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62, 1099–1101 (1996).
    Google Scholar
  4. Rikken, G., Kroon, A. & van Ginkel, C. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 45, 420–426 (1996).
    Google Scholar
  5. Michaelidou, U., Bruce, R., Achenbach, L. & Coates, J. D. in Abstr. 98th Gen. Meeting Am. Soc. Microbiol. 313 (American Society for Microbiology, Atlanta, 1998).
  6. Foundation for Water Research Research Report FR0390 (1993).
  7. US Environmental Protection Agency Fed. Reg. 59 6331–6444 (1994).
    Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 62901, Illinois, USA
    John D. Coates, Royce A. Bruce & John D. Haddock

Authors

  1. John D. Coates
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Royce A. Bruce
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. John D. Haddock
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coates, J., Bruce, R. & Haddock, J. Anoxic bioremediation of hydrocarbons.Nature 396, 730 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/25470

Download citation