Microbial transformation of chlorinated benzenes under anaerobic conditions

Chlorobenzenes are reductively dechlorinated by anaerobic bacterial cultures obtained from sediments and sludge. Recently a strain was isolated that couples reductive dechlorination of chlorobenzenes with energy conservation. The results reviewed in this article suggest that additional anaerobic bacteria, thriving by dehalogenation of chlorobenzenes or chlorobiphenylic compounds, can be isolated. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.