Thermophilic degradation of environmental pollutants

Abstract

This review summarizes present knowledge on the degradation of environmental pollutants at elevated temperatures. After a brief introduction to the relevance of this new emerging field of research, the current state of knowledge on the thermophilic conversion of alkanes, phenol and cresols, benzene and toluene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pyrethroids, chlorinated hydrocarbons and nitro compounds is presented together with the information available on the degradation pathways and the enzymes involved.