Enhanced Degradation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls

There is a worldwide initiative to remove polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the environment because of their potential hazard. Animal experiments have shown they can produce liver damage, developmental defects and even cancer. Thirty per cent of the 310,000 tons of PCBs that have been produced globally are now considered as persistent toxicants in the environment. To date, only 4% have been successfully treated. Although a number of technologies are in existence for the treatment of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), they do have several drawbacks including the production of toxic volatiles in incinerators and high cost associated with these procedures. On the other hand, successful bioremediation is relatively inexpensive, as shown for polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) degradation, with the added advantages of being able to be carried out in situ. In this study, preliminary experiments demonstrated that certain surfactants enhance PCB degradation in aqueous solution in the presence of enzymes, in a concentration-dependent manner. These surfactants have not been previously reported as enhancers in PCB degradation.