Microbial Ecology of Dehalogenation

Abstract

In reviewing the physicochemical factors and biological activities that describe the microbial ecology of an environment, in particular how it pertains to the global cycling of halogens, many elements are evident. A unifying principle in these often complex systems can perhaps be found in the energy flow through the system. On a small scale, this can be seen in the microbial communities which support and mediate dehalogenation. Hydrogen transfer, through syntrophic and cometabolic microbial associations, together with its impact on the environmental matrix, e.g., redox and mineral speciation, provides a commonality to the cycling of nutrients in the environment, including halogenated substrates. A better understanding can serve as a basis for exploiting these processes for the better good, in particular for the cleanup of contaminated environments, but also for better management of naturally-occurring processes.