Anaerobic degradation of cis-1,2-dichloroethylene by cultures enriched from a landfill leachate sediment

The production of microbiologically enriched cultures that degrade cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE) under anaerobic conditions was investigated. Among 80 environmental samples, 19 displayed significant degradation of 10 muM cis-DCE during 1 month of anaerobic incubation, and one sediment sample collected at a landfill area (Nanji-do, Seoul, Korea) showed the greatest degradation (94%). When this sediment culture was subcultured repeatedly, the ability to degrade cis-DCE gradually decreased. However, under Fe(III)-reducing conditions, cis-DCE degradation by the subculture was found to be maintained effectively. In the Fe(III)-reducing subculture, vinyl chloride (VC) was also degraded at the same extent as cis-DCE. No accumulation of VC during the cis-DCE degradation was observed. Thus, Fe(III)-reducing microbes might be involved in the anaerobic degradation of the chlorinated ethenes. However, the subcultures established with Fe(III) could function even in the absence of Fe(III), showing that the degradation of cis-DCE and VC was not directly coupled with the Fe(III) reduction. Consequently, the two series of enrichment cultures could not be obtained that degrade both cis-DCE and VC in the presence or absence of Fe(III). Considering the lack of VC accumulation, both cultures reported herein may involve interesting mechanism(s) for the microbial remediation of environments contaminated with chlorinated ethenes. A number of fermentative reducers (microbes) which are known to reduce Fe(III) during their anaerobic growth are potential candidates involved in cis-DCE degradation in the presence and absence of Fe(III)