Chlorinated organic compounds (Clorg) are produced naturally in soil. Formation and degradation of Clorg affect the chlorine (Cl) cycling in terrestrial environments and chlorine can be retained or released from soil. Cl is known to have the same behaviour as radioactive chlorine-36 (36Cl), a long-lived radioisotope with a half-life of 300,000 years. 36Cl attracts interest because of its presence in radioactive waste, making 36Cl a potential risk for humans and animals due to possible biological uptake. This thesis studies the distribution and cycling of chloride (Cl–) and Clorg in terrestrial environments by using laboratory controlled soil incubation studies and a forest field study. The results show higher amounts of Cl– and Clorg and higher chlorination rates in coniferous forest soils than in pasture and agricultural soils. Tree species is the most important factor regulating Cl– and Clorg levels, whereas geographical location, atmospheric deposition, and soil type are less important. The root zone was the most active site of the chlorination process. Moreover, this thesis confirms that bulk Clorg dechlorination rates are similar to, or higher than, chlorination rates and that there are at least two major Clorg pools, one being dechlorinated quickly and one remarkably slower. While chlorination rates were negatively influenced by nitrogen additions, dechlorination rates, seem unaffected by nitrogen. The results implicate that Cl cycling is highly active in soils and Cl– and Clorg levels result from a dynamic equilibrium between chlorination and dechlorination. Influence of tree species and the rapid and slow cycling of some Cl pools, are critical to consider in studies of Cl in terrestrial environments. This information can be used to better understand Cl in risk-assessment modelling including inorganic and organic 36Cl. / Klorerade organiska föreningar (Clorg) bildas naturligt i mark och påverkar klorets kretslopp genom att de stannar kvar längre i marken. Detta stabila klor anses ha samma egenskaper som klor-36, som är en långlivad radioisotop med en halveringstid på 300 000 år. Klor-36 förekommer i olika typer av radioaktivt avfall och om klor-36 sprids i naturen finns det en potentiell risk för människor och djur genom biologiskt upptag. Syftet i denna avhandling är att öka kunskapen om fördelningen och cirkulationen av klorid (Cl-) och Clorg i terrestra miljöer med hjälp av studier i laboratoriemiljö samt en fältstudie i skogsmiljö. Resultaten visar att bildningshastigheten av Clorg är högst i barrskogsjord och rotzonen tycks vara en aktiv plats. Det finns också en större mängd Cl- och Clorg i barrskogsjordar än i betesmark och jordbruksmark. Den mest betydande faktorn som styr halterna av Cl- och Clorg är trädsort, medan geografiskt läge, atmosfäriskt nedfall, och jordmån är av mindre betydelse. Bildning och nedbrytning av Clorg sker med liknande hastigheter, men det tycks finnas två förråd av Clorg i jorden varav ett bryts ner snabbt och ett mer långsamt. Bildningshastigheten av Clorg är lägre i jordar med höga halter av kväve medan nedbrytningshastigheterna inte påverkas av kväve. Slutsatsen från studiernas resultat är att klor i hög grad är aktivt i mark och att Cl- och Clorg halterna bestäms av en dynamisk jämvikt mellan bildning och nedbrytning av Clorg. I studier av klor i terrestra miljöer bör trädsorters inverkan och nedbrytning av olika klorförråd beaktas då det kan ge varierande uppehållstider av Cl- och Clorg i mark. Denna information är viktig vid riskbedömningar av hur radioaktivt klor kan spridas och cirkulera vid en eventuell kärnkraftsolycka.

La chlordécone (cld) de formule brute c10cl10o est un pesticide organochloré classé parmi les polluants organiques persistants (pop) par la convention de stockholm en 2009. Ce composé a été appliqué dans les soles bananières des antilles françaisede 1950 à 1993 : ce qui a conduit à une pollution généralisée de l’environnement dans les zones de production de banane. De plus il a été montré une imprégnation généralisée de la biosphère, avec un impact sanitaire décrit dans de nombreuses publications. Il est connu que la cld a une longue persistance dans les sols, conduisant à une contamination des eaux. Aussi, dans les zones polluées de la guadeloupe et de la martinique, les usines de production d'eau ont été équipées de filtres à charbon actif (ca). Cependant, après le traitement, le ca est contaminé, il est alors nécessaire de le régénérer.Un des axes de recherche de l’équipe covachim-m2e « connaissance et valorisation-chimie des matériaux environnement, énergie» est la fabrication de ca préparés à partir des ressources naturelles tropicales telle que la bagasse pour à la fois valoriser des quantités élevées de résidus lignocellulosiques disponibles localement, à un coût modéré, mais surtout pour une adsorption efficace de la cld, afin d’obtenir les informations par le mécanisme d’adsorption de la vb12 sur le ca. Un matériau hybride (mh) composé de ca de la vitamine b12 ou cobalamine (vb12) a été préparé à l’aide d’une fixation non-covalente, par adsorption de manière à préserver l’activité de déchloruration de la vb12.Il est montré que la vb12 réduite par le zinc zérovalent, est capable de dégrader cld, en accord avec les travaux de schrauzer publiés en 1978, montrant que la vb12, réduite par l’acétoine ou bien le borohydrure de sodium était capable dégrader la cld. Les intermédiaires de dégradation produits, ont été caractérisés par chromatographie en phase gazeuse couplée à un spectromètre de masse (cg-sm). Les cinétiques et isothermes d'adsorption de la vb12 sur ca ont été modélisées à l’aide de différents modèles mathématiques ceci permet de comprendre les interactions physico-chimiques mis en jeu entre les deux composants du matériau hybride lors du processus d’adsorption. Il a été révélé que la dynamique d’adsorption est bien décrite par le modèle du pseudo-second ordre. La fixation de la vb12 est plus importante sur le ca bagp1.5, préparé par activation de la bagasse par l’acide phosphorique, avec une valeur capacité d'adsorption maximale déduite du modèle de langmuir de 422 mg.g-1. L’adsorption est favorisée à haute température, et optimale à un ph de 6. En outre, afin d'étudier la stabilité du matériau hybride élaboré, la désorption de la vb12 adsorbée sur la bagp1.5 a également été suivie en milieu aqueux et dans l’éthanol. Le mh ainsi préparé a été caractérisé en utilisant différentes techniques, la méthode de boehm, la microscopie à balayage, la résonance raman, la spectrométrie de fluorescence x, la spectroscopie de photo-électron x, l’infra-rouge à transformée de fourieret aussi par adsorption d’azote.L’objectif de ce travail est d’optimiser la quantification de la cld et de ses intermédiaires de dégradation par une méthode en cg-sm et de mettre au point une méthode de dégradation de la cld en vue de la régénération des ca.Nos travaux ont montré que la vitesse de disparition de la cld est plus élevée pour le matériau hybride, que pour le charbon seul ou la vb12 seule. Les réactions de dégradation de la cld par la vb12 ont montré dans des conditions anaérobies, l’apparition de 3 intermédiaires dérivés de la cld. Ces intermédiaires ont été caractérisés en cg-ms à savoir la mono et dihydrochlordécone, ainsi qu’un dérivé pentachloroindène. / Chlordecone (cld) with an empirical formula c10cl10o is an organochlorine pesticide classified among the persistent organic pollutants (pops) by the stockholm convention in 2009. This compound was applied to banana plantation in the french west indies from 1950 to 1993: resulting to widespread environmental pollution in banana production areas. In addition it has been shown a generalized pollution of the biosphere, with a health impact described in many publications. It is known that cld has a long persistence in soils, leading to water contamination. Consequently, in the polluted areas of guadeloupe and martinique, the water production plants were equipped with activated carbon filters (ac). However, after water treatment, the ac is contaminated, it is then necessary to regenerate it.One of the research areas of the covachim-m2e team is the elaboration of ac from tropical natural resources such as bagasse to both add value the high amounts of lignocellulosic residues locally available at moderate cost, but as well especially for efficient adsorption of the cld. A hybrid material composed of activated carbon (ac) and vitamin b12 (vb12), known as cobalamin was prepared using a non-covalent attachment, by adsorption to preserve the dechlorination activity of vb12.It is shown that vitamin b12 reduced zerovalent zinc is able to degrade cld, in agreement with the work of schrauzer published in 1978, showing that vitamin b12, reduced by acetoin or sodium borohydride capable of degrading the cld. The intermediate degradation products, were characterized by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detection (gc-ms) to get right one vb12 adsorption mechanism. To get insight on vb12 adsorption mechanism, kinetic and adsorption isotherms of vb12 on ac were modeled using various mathematical models. It allows to understand the physical and chemical interactions involved between the two components of the hybrid material during the adsorption process. It was revealed that the adsorption dynamics is well described by the model of the pseudo-second order and brouers-sotolongo. Amount of the vb12 fixed on is more important on the bagp1.5 ac prepared by activation of the bagasse by the phosphoric acid, as a maximum adsorption capacity value derived from the langmuir model 422 mg.g-1. Adsorption is favored at high temperature, and at optimum value of ph 6. Furthermore, in order to study the stability of the prepared hybrid material, desorption of the adsorbed from bagp1.5 has also been followed in an aqueous medium and in absolute ethanol. Mh thus prepared was characterized using different technique, the method of boehm, scanning electron microscopy, raman resonance, and x-ray fluorescence spectrometry and x-ray photoelectron, infrared transform fourier spectroscopies and also by nitrogen adsorption.The objective of this work is to optimize the quantification of the cld and its intermeodiates by a gas chromatography method coupled with a mass spectrometer (gc-ms) and to develop a method of degradation of the cld for the regeneration of activated carbon.Our work has shown that the rate of disappearance of cld is higher for the hybrid material than vb12 alone. The degradation reactions of cld by vb12 under anaerobic conditions showed the appearance of 3 cld intermediates: mono and dihydrochlordecone and a pentachloroindène derivative that were characterized by gc-ms.

abstract: This dissertation explores the use of bench-scale batch microcosms in remedial design of contaminated aquifers, presents an alternative methodology for conducting such treatability studies, and - from technical, economical, and social perspectives - examines real-world application of this new technology. In situ bioremediation (ISB) is an effective remedial approach for many contaminated groundwater sites. However, site-specific variability necessitates the performance of small-scale treatability studies prior to full-scale implementation. The most common methodology is the batch microcosm, whose potential limitations and suitable technical alternatives are explored in this thesis. In a critical literature review, I discuss how continuous-flow conditions stimulate microbial attachment and biofilm formation, and identify unique microbiological phenomena largely absent in batch bottles, yet potentially relevant to contaminant fate. Following up on this theoretical evaluation, I experimentally produce pyrosequencing data and perform beta diversity analysis to demonstrate that batch and continuous-flow (column) microcosms foster distinctly different microbial communities. Next, I introduce the In Situ Microcosm Array (ISMA), which took approximately two years to design, develop, build and iteratively improve. The ISMA can be deployed down-hole in groundwater monitoring wells of contaminated aquifers for the purpose of autonomously conducting multiple parallel continuous-flow treatability experiments. The ISMA stores all sample generated in the course of each experiment, thereby preventing the release of chemicals into the environment. Detailed results are presented from an ISMA demonstration evaluating ISB for the treatment of hexavalent chromium and trichloroethene. In a technical and economical comparison to batch microcosms, I demonstrate the ISMA is both effective in informing remedial design decisions and cost-competitive. Finally, I report on a participatory technology assessment (pTA) workshop attended by diverse stakeholders of the Phoenix 52nd Street Superfund Site evaluating the ISMA's ability for addressing a real-world problem. In addition to receiving valuable feedback on perceived ISMA limitations, I conclude from the workshop that pTA can facilitate mutual learning even among entrenched stakeholders. In summary, my doctoral research (i) pinpointed limitations of current remedial design approaches, (ii) produced a novel alternative approach, and (iii) demonstrated the technical, economical and social value of this novel remedial design tool, i.e., the In Situ Microcosm Array technology. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Biological Design 2013

No description available.

Die toxische sowie kanzerogene Verbindung 1,2-Dichlorpropan (DCP) ist weit verbreitet in Industrie und Landwirtschaft. Die Verbindung zeigt eine geringe chemische Reaktivität, ist nur mäßig wasserlöslich und unter aeroben Bedingungen weitestgehend beständig gegenüber mikrobiellen Abbauprozessen in der Umwelt. Als Folge reichert sich DCP in Grundwässern, Sedimenten und Böden an und gefährdet über die Nahrungskette die Gesundheit von Mensch und Tier. Um DCP effizient und ökonomisch zu unbedenklichen Verbindungen abzubauen, wurden mikrobielle Mischkulturen aus belasteten Sedimenten angereichert und in einen Wirbelschichtreaktor überführt. Dieses Verfahren ermöglichte eine kontinuierliche anaerobe Dechlorierung von DCP zu Propen. Grundsätzlich stellen biologische Abbauverfahren, bei denen komplexe mikrobielle Mischpopulationen eingesetzt werden, einen vielversprechenden Weg zur Transformation chlororganischer Verbindungen dar. Jedoch liegen üblicherweise nur wenige Informationen über die Zusammensetzung der betreffenden Populationen vor, so daß eine Optimierung bzw. effiziente Steuerung des Prozesses erheblich erschwert wird. Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Bestimmung der mikrobiellen Zusammensetzung der DCP-dechlorierenden Bioreaktorpopulation. Aufgrund der bekannten Limitierungen klassisch-mikrobiologischer Nachweisverfahren wurde eine Kombination mehrerer molekulargenetischer Methoden eingesetzt, die auf der vergleichenden Sequenzanalyse ribosomaler RNA beruhten. Die Untersuchungen zeigten, daß die Bakterienpopulation des Reaktors außerordentlich divers zusammengesetzt war und im wesentlichen aus bislang nicht-kultivierten Arten bestand. Es dominierten "Grüne nicht-schwefelhaltige Bakterien" (green nonsulfur bacteria) sowie Grampositive Bakterien mit niedrigem GC-Gehalt. Die Archaea hingegen waren fast ausschließlich durch zwei bekannte methanogene Spezies vertreten, Methanosaeta concilii sowie Methanomethylovorans hollandica. Der Vergleich der gewonnenen rDNA-Daten mit denen anderer Lebensräume ergab, daß Süßwasserhabitate, in denen chlororganische Verbindungen reduktiv umgesetzt werden, offenbar eine spezifische Populationsstruktur aufweisen. Es konnten spezifische 16S rDNA-Gruppen definiert werden (SHA-Cluster), die auch nach längerem Reaktorbetrieb noch nachgewiesen werden konnten. Darüber hinaus wurden Dehalobacter restrictus- sowie Dehalococcoides ethenogenes-ähnliche Bakterien in der DCP-dechlorierenden Bioreaktorpopulation gefunden. Beide Spezies sind in der Lage, chlororganische Verbindungen unter Verwendung von Wasserstoff als alleinigem Elektronendonor reduktiv zu dechlorieren. Es ist davon auszugehen, daß Dehalobacter und Dehalococcoides spp. aufgrund ihrer Physiologie an der reduktiven Umsetzung des DCPs beteiligt sind. Die Untersuchung der Population über einen längeren Zeitraum zeigte überdies, daß Bakterien der Gattung Dehalobacter überproportional angereichert und daraufhin zur dominierenden Spezies im Reaktor wurden. Dieser Befund läßt auf eine zentrale Rolle von Dehalobacter spp. bei der Transformation von DCP zu Propen schließen. Konsequenterweise führte die Zugabe von Wasserstoff zum Reaktor zur einer deutlichen Steigerung des DCP-Umsatzes. Dehalobacter und Dehalococcoides spp. sowie die anderen durch SHA-Cluster repräsentierten Bakterien stellen potentielle Indikatororganismen für die DCP-Transformation im Reaktor dar. Ein kontinuierliches Monitoring dieser Bakterien würde zu einer effizienteren Steuerung des Dechlorierungsprozesses und damit zu einer Optimierung des Verfahrens führen. / The toxic and carcinogenic compound 1,2-dichloropropane (DCP) is widely used in industry and agriculture. DCP shows a low chemical reactivity. It is only moderately soluble in aqueous systems and almost recalcitrant to microbial degradation under aerobic conditions. As a consequence DCP accumulates in groundwater, sediments and soil, thus endangering humans and animals via the food chain. To efficiently transform DCP to harmless organic compounds microbial mixed cultures have been enriched from sediments and were subsequently transferred into a fluidized bed bioreactor. This process allowed a continuous anaerobic dechlorination of DCP to propene. Bioreactor processes using complex microbiota represent a promising technology for transformation of chlorinated compounds. However, the composition of the used population is usually unknown, hence hindering both optimization and control of the degradation process. Subject of this work was the analysis of the microbial diversity of the DCP-dechlorinating bioreactor population. Conventional culture-dependent microbiological methods are often limited if used for the analysis of complex communities. Therefore, a combination of different molecular methods based on comparative 16S rRNA analysis was applied. It was found that the bioreactor population was highly diverse and consisted mainly of as yet-uncultured bacteria. Members of the green nonsulfur bacteria and the gram-positive bacteria with low G+C content dominated the consortium. In contrast the archaea were represented by only two species, Methanosaeta concilii and Methanomethylovorans hollandica. The comparison of the rDNA data with those of other biotopes revealed that reductively dechlorinating freshwater habitats show a specific community structure. 16S rDNA-clusters were defined, which could still be detected after a longer operation time of the bioreactor. Furthermore, Dehalobacter restrictus- and Dehalococcoides ethenogenes-like bacteria were found in the DCP-dechlorinating bioreactor population. Both species are capable of reductive dechlorination using hydrogen as the sole electron source. Therefore, it could be assumed that these bacteria were also involved in the dechlorination of DCP. The investigation of the bioreactor population for a longer period of time revealed that Dehalobacter-like bacteria were significantly enriched and subsequently became the most frequently found bacterium within the bioreactor. This indicates a major role of Dehalobacter spp. within the transformation process of DCP to propene. Consequently, the addition of hydrogen to the bioreactor led to an increase of the DCP transformation rate. Dehalobacter und Dehalococcoides spp. as well as the bacteria represented by the specific SHA-clusters are possibly suitable as indicator organisms for the transformation of DCP within the bioreactor. A continuous monitoring of these bacteria would lead to a more efficient control and hence, to an optimization of the transformation process.

L'oxydation de liaisons C-H fortes et la transformation de liaisons carbone-halogène dans des conditions douces sont particulièrement difficiles et représentent un challenge pour les chimistes. Ces réactions sont réalisées dans la nature par l'intermédiaire des métalloenzymes. Dans le but de reproduire cette chimie efficace, nous développons au laboratoire des catalyseurs inspirés de deux des plus puissantes monooxygenases : les cytochromes P450 et la méthane monooxygenase soluble. Il s'agit de complexes binucléaires où deux atomes de fer sont pontés par un atome et stabilisés par des ligands macrocycliques. En particulier, les dimères de phthalocyanine de fer pontés par un atome d'azote (μ-nitrido) sont capables d'activer les peroxydes comme H2O2 afin oxyder, dans des conditions douces, les substrats les plus inertes (méthane, benzène, dichlorométhane). Ces travaux de thèse ont consisté en l'utilisation de ces systèmes bio-inspirés pour décrire la première transformation oxydante des liaisons C-F aromatiques. Cette nouvelle approche peut être utilisée pour la minéralisation de polluants notoires : les composés aromatiques halogénés. La démarche générale de cette thèse a été de (i) décrire la réactivité des complexes de phthalocyanines et porphyrines et (ii) en élucider le mécanisme afin de (iii) comprendre les paramètres clés gouvernants l'efficacité catalytique. Nous avons ainsi décrit le premier système capable de minéraliser les aromatiques perfluorés en conditions douces par transformation oxydante de la liaison C-F en liaison C-OH. Un mécanisme d'époxydation du système-π du substrat fluoré par l'intermédiaire d'une espèce fer-oxo a été proposé et argumenté. Nous avons déterminé l'effet de la nature de l'atome pontant sur la structure du catalyseur et expliqué l'impact crucial de la structure Fe(μ-N)Fe sur l'efficacité catalytique grâce aux caractérisations EXAFS, XANES et des calculs DFT. La synthèse, la caractérisation, et la comparaison de dimères à ligands porphyrazine, porphyrine ou phthalocyanine nous a enfin permis de décrire l'influence du ligand macrocyclique sur la géométrie moléculaire et la structure électronique des complexes / Oxidations of strong C-H and transformation of carbon-halogen bonds under mild conditions are especially difficult and challenging reactions. This reactivity can be achieved in Nature through iron metalloenzymes. In order to reproduce the efficient chemistry found in Nature, we develop bio-inspired diiron macrocyclic catalysts combining the structural features of two the most powerful monooxygenases: cytochrome P450 and soluble methane monooxygenase. Diiron catalysts where two iron atoms are bridged by μ-nitrido group and stabilized by macrocyclic supporting ligands can activate peroxides such as H2O2 for the most challenging oxidations reactions (methane, benzene, dichloromethane) under mild and practical conditions. This thesis is focused on the use of these bio inspired systems for the previously unknown oxidative transformation of the aromatic C-F bonds. This novel approach to the activation of C-F bonds can be used for the mineralization of notorious pollutants: the halogenated aromatics. We (i) described the reactivity of phthalocyanine and porphyrin complexes and (ii) studied the mechanism to (iii) understand and explain the key parameters which gouverns the catalytic efficiency. We had reported the first system able to transform aromatic C-F bonds onto C-OH bonds under mild conditions. Based on mechanistic studies, an epoxidation mechanism mediated by diiron-oxo species has been proposed. We have studied the influence of the bridging atom on the structure and the catalytic efficiency of the catalysts using both spectroscopic and theoretical methods. Finally, the effect of the macrocyclic ligand on molecular geometry and electronic structure of the complexes have been described through the synthesis, the characterization and the comparison of diiron complexes based on porphyrazine, porphyrin or phthalocyanine ligands

Chorine is used by the Village Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant to kill pathogenic microorganisms prior to discharge of the effluent into the Trinity River. The residual chlorine in the river impacted aquatic life prompting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in December 1990 to require dechlorination using sulfur dioxide. One pre-dechlorination and four post-dechlorination assessments of phytoplankton, periphyton, and zooplankton communities were conducted by the Institute of Applied Sciences at the University of North Texas. Dechlorination had no effect on the phytoplankton community. The periphyton community exhibited a shift in species abundance with a more even distribution of organisms among taxa. No change occurred in zooplankton species abundance, however, there was a decrease in zooplankton density following dechlorination.

The method of using stimulated reductive dechlorination when remediating sites contaminated with chlorinated solvents is not unusual, but not many studies have been done on the overall process outside of a controlled environment. In order to investigate the process, principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square (PLS) regression was used to identify the most important parameters for the degradation of the chlorinated solvents. The most important parameter for all chlorinated compounds turned out to be oxygen, with levels of degradation products increasing with decreasing levels of dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen was deemed the most important variable to measure during a control program on the site. The degradation dynamics of the process were investigated to examine the behaviour of the chlorinated solvents and their degradation products. The degradation products of the main contaminant TCE were found in all observation points, which indicates an ongoing reductive dechlorination all over the site. A large amount of the mother product, TCE, was found in two observation points, which were believed to be situated close to the sources of the TCE contamination. Over the observation period of 2,5 years the levels of TCE in the source areas decreased significantly to below the remediation goal. However, the levels of TCE increased in another observation point further downstream, with concentrations still increasing at the end of this study. The levels in this point were lower than those measured initially in the source area, but still much higher than the accepted values. Possible reasons for this appearance of TCE could be an isolated sheet of contaminants being pushed into the observation point from a nearby location or transport of the contaminants from the source area in units of higher conductivity such as sand lenses or fractures in the clayey soil. / Att använda stimulerad reduktiv deklorering som metod för att sanera fastigheter förorenade med klorerade lösningsmedel är inte ovanligt, men få studier har undersökt det övergripande saneringsförloppet utanför de kontrollerade förhållanden i en labbmiljö. För att undersöka nedbrytningsprocessen användes principalkomponentsanalys (PCA) och partial least square (PLS) regression i syfte att identifiera de parametrar som hade störst påverkan på nedbrytningen av de klorerade föroreningarna. Den enskilt viktigaste parametern visade sig vara halten löst syre i grundvattnet, då halterna av nedbrytningsprodukter ökade med minskande syrehalt. Därför ses syre som den viktigaste parametern för att följa förloppet och är den parameter som bör mätas i kontrollprogram över nedbrytningsprocessen.   Nedbrytningsdynamiken analyserades under en observationsperiod på 2,5 år för att studera hur de klorerade föroreningarna betedde sig under nedbrytningsförloppet. Nedbrytningsprodukter hittades i provtagningspunkter över hela fastigheten vilket visar på en pågående reduktiv deklorering. En stor mängd av moderprodukten TCE hittades i två punkter som bedömdes vara källor till TCE-spridningen. Under observationsperioden sjönk halterna av TCE i dessa två punkter till under gränsen för åtgärdsmålet, dock ökade koncentrationen av TCE i en annan provpunkt längre nedströms källområdet. Halterna i provpunkten var inte lika höga som de initiala halterna i källområdet, men de var långt högre än det fastställda åtgärdsmålen och ökade fortfarande när undersökningen avslutades. Möjliga förklaringar till varför halterna ökade i denna provpunkt är att ett sjok av TCE från omkringliggande sediment har transporterats till provpunkten, eller att en föroreningstransport har skett från källområdet via områden med högre konduktivitet i till exempel sandlinser eller sprickor.

Le chlorométhane (CH3Cl) est un composé organique volatile responsable de plus de 15 % de la dégradation de l’ozone stratosphérique due aux composés chlorés. Il est produit majoritairement par les plantes vivantes ou en décomposition. Les bactéries capables d’utiliser le CH3Cl comme source de carbone pour leur croissance peuvent jouer un rôle de filtre dans les émissions de CH3Cl vers l'atmosphère. Ce processus biologique reste à quantifier dans l'environnement, notamment pour les sols forestiers considérés comme un puits majeur de ce composé.Dans les études environnementales, le gène cmu A est utilisé comme biomarqueur de la dégradation bactérienne du CH3Cl. Il code une chlorométhane méthyltransférase essentielle à la croissance bactérienne avec le CH3Cl parla voie cmu (pour chloromethane utilisation), la seule caractérisée à ce jour. Mon projet de thèse avait un double objectif : i) l’approfondissement des connaissances de l’adaptation au CH3Cl chez une bactérie méthylotrophe modèle, Methylobacterium extorquens CM4; ii) l’exploration de la diversité des bactéries CH3Cl-dégradantes de sols forestiers. L’étude RNAseq chez la souche CM4 a montré que la croissance avec le CH3Cl s'accompagne de différences dans la transcription de 137 gènes de son génome (6.2 Mb) par rapport à sa croissance sur le méthanol (CH3OH). Les gènes de la voie cmu, ainsi que d’autres gènes impliqués dans le métabolisme de cofacteurs essentiels à l’utilisation du CH3Cl par cette voie et eux aussi portés par le plasmide pCMU01 de la souche, en font partie. Les paralogues de ces gènes localisés sur le chromosome ne sont quant à eux pas différentiellement exprimés. En revanche, d’autres gènes du chromosome, potentiellement impliqués dans l’excrétion de protons produits lors de la déshalogénation (hppA), la régénération du NADP+ (pnt), ou le métabolisme du cofacteur tétrahydrofolate(gènes gcvPHT), le sont. L’étude de la diversité des bactéries CH3Cl-dégradantes de sol forestier de la réserve naturelle de Steigerwald (Allemagne) a été réalisée sur des microcosmes par une approche de « Stable Isotope Probing ». Les microorganismes capables d’assimiler le CH3Cl marqué au [13C] incorporent cet isotope lourd du carbone dans leur ADN. L'analyse des séquences amplifiées par PCR des gènes codant l’ARN 16S des fractions d'ADN enrichies en [13C] a permis de mettre en évidence de nouveaux phylotypes, du genre Methylovirgula et de l’ordre des Actinomycetales, distincts de ceux auxquelles les souches dégradant le CH3Cl isolées jusqu'ici sont affiliées. En revanche, les séquences du gène cmuA et d’autres gènes du métabolisme méthylotrophe obtenues par PCR à partir de l'ADN enrichi en [13C] sont très proches de celles des souches CH3Cl-dégradantes connues. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent ainsi que des bactéries ayant acquis par transfert horizontal les gènes de dégradation de la voie cmu ou ne possédant pas de gène cmuA contribuent au filtrage biologique du CH3Cl des sols forestiers. A l'avenir, le couplage de différentes méthodes moléculaires et des approches culturales visera à découvrir de nouvelles voies microbiennes de l’utilisation du CH3Cl, et à caractériser l’abondance et la diversité des métabolismes impliqués dans la dégradation du CH3Cl dans les sols et d'autres compartiments environnementaux. / Chloromethane (CH3Cl) is a volatile organic compound responsible for over 15% of stratospheric ozone degradation due to chlorinated compounds. It is mainly produced by living and decaying plants. Bacteria utilizing CH3Cl as sole carbon and energy source for growth were shown to be involved in the filtering of CH3Cl emissions to the atmosphere. This biological process remains to be quantified in the environment, especially for forest soil, a major CH3Cl sink. The cmuA gene is used as a biomarker of bacterial CH3Cl degradation in environmental studies. It encodes a CH3Cl methyltransferase essential for bacterial growth by the cmu (chloromethane utilization) pathway for growth with CH3Cl and the only one characterized so far. My thesis project had a double aim: i) In depth studies of CH3Cl adaptation of a model methylotrophic bacterium, Methylobacterium extorquens strain CM4; ii) Exploration of bacterial CH3Cl-utilizers in forest. An RNAseq study of strain CM4 has shown that growth with CH3Cl leads to a difference of transcription of 137 genes in its 6.2 Mb genome compared to growth with methanol (CH3OH). Among those, genes of the cmu pathway and other genes involved in the metabolism of essential cofactors for CH3Cl utilization by this pathway, are all plasmid pCMU01-encoded. Paralogous genes located on the chromosome were not differentially expressed. On the other hand, other chromosomal genes potentially involved in extruding protons generated during CH3Cl deshalogenation (hppA), NADP+ regeneration (pnt), or in the cofactor tetrahydrofolate metabolism (gcvPHT) were differentially expressed. The diversity of CH3Cl-degrading bacteria in forest soil of the German natural park of Steigerwald was studied in microcosms using stable isotope probing. Microorganisms able to assimilate labeled [13C]- CH3Cl incorporate this heavy carbon isotope in their DNA. Sequence analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S RNA encoding gene from [13C]-DNA fractions uncovered phylotypes of the genus Methylovirgula and of the order of the Actinomycetales, which were not associated with bacterial CH3Cl degradation so far. In contrast, PCR-amplified sequences of cmuA and other genes of methylotrophic metabolism were closely related to known CH3Cl-degrading isolates. These results suggest that bacteria containing genes of the cmu pathway acquired by horizontal gene transfer as well as bacteria lacking the cmu pathway contribute to biological filtering of CH3Cl in forest soil. Future experiments coupling molecular and culture methods will aim to discover new CH3Cl-degrading pathways and to characterize the abundance and diversity of CH3Cl-degradation metabolism in soil and other environmental compartments.

Federal regulations such as the Clean Water Act (P.L. 92-500), and its amendments, direct the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to implement programs to control the releases of conventional pollutants and toxics into the waterways of the United States. The EPA began requiring treatment plants to conduct toxicity tests (biomonitoring) of their effluent discharges. To control toxicity caused by chlorination of wastewater discharges, the EPA also began requiring some treatment facilities to dechlorinate their wastewater before discharging. This research was funded by the EPA to document the changes that occurred in the Trinity River from the dechlorination of the effluent from Ft. Worth's Village Creek municipal wastewater treatment plant. The study occurred over a two year period beginning in August 1990. A wide variety of biological field assessments and toxicological assays were used to measure various responses. Seven river stations, covering approximately twenty river miles, and the treatment plant effluent were assessed. Two of the river stations were upstream from the treatment plant and used as reference sites. The remaining five river stations were downstream from the treatment plant, spread out over seventeen river miles. The study evaluated the impact of chlorination prior to dechlorination, which served as a baseline. Responses determined during dechlorination were compared to the baseline data. An overall improvement in species richness and diversity was seen at those river stations which had previously been adversely impacted by chlorine. Aquatic toxicity tests, such as those required to be used by dischargers, were conducted during this study. Periodic toxicity was observed with these tests in the effluent and river samples after dechlorination was initiated. Those tests, along with in situ toxicity assays, proved to be good predictors of biological community responses.