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Your Environment. Your Health.

Research Briefs: University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Superfund Research Program

Biogeochemical Controls over Corrinoid Bioavailability to Organohalide-Respiring Chloroflexi

Project Leader: Frank E. Loeffler
Co-Investigators: Jun Yan, Shawn R. Campagna
Grant Number: R01ES024294
Funding Period: 2014-2019
View this project in the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT)

Program Links

Research Briefs

  • 292 - Nitrous Oxide Halts Breakdown of Chlorinated Compounds -- Loeffler
    Release Date: 04/03/2019

    A new Superfund Research Program (SRP) study showed that nitrous oxide (N2O), a groundwater contaminant commonly generated from agricultural runoff, inhibits bacterial degradation of certain chlorinated contaminants, including tetrachloroethene (PCE). The study may explain why bioremediation, or the use of bacteria to break down compounds, can stall at some hazardous waste sites.

  • 276 - Novel Cobamide Structure May Hold Clues for More Effective Biological Degradation of Chlorinated Compounds -- Loeffler
    Release Date: 12/06/2017

    Researchers at the University of Tennessee have discovered a crucial compound that helps specific bacteria degrade pollutants like tetrachloroethene (PCE). This compound, called purinyl-cobamide, assists enzymes during degradation reactions.

  • 255 - The Effect of Corrinoid Co-factors on Bioremediation of Chlorinated Compounds -- Loeffler
    Release Date: 03/02/2016

    Specific modifications to helper molecules, or co-factors, play an important role in how efficiently some bacteria can degrade toxic chlorinated pollutants. In a new study, researchers from the University of Tennessee found that specific chemical modifications to corrinoid co-factors, a group of molecules that includes vitamin B12, can affect how well bacteria degrade chlorinated pollutants such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). These findings could help improve cleanup of chlorinated contaminants at hazardous waste sites.

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