Shree Nath Singh (Ed): Extraordinary microbial degradation capacities comments on microbial degradation of xenobiotics

Abstract

The study of microbial degradation capacities is an exciting area of research. For several decades, scientists have gained information to understand the microbial degradation mechanisms. They have made important efforts to harness microbes to remove or mitigate the effects of pollutants released into the environment. The Microbial degradation of xenobiotics compiles the knowledge acquired on the microbial capacities to degrade selected compounds among the most used by humans activities including chlorinated compounds, dyes, explosives, and petroleum-derived compounds and polymers. The contributions from worldwide authors, experts in their respective field, are well written and informative providing extensive references on the current literature. Two chapters (chapters 1 and 2) are devoted to the description of microbial pathways for the degradation of chlorinated compounds which are among the most toxic pollutants extensively used in chemical industries and agriculture. The bacterial degradation review is limited to aerobic bacterial pathways for polychlorophenol degradation that are well documented with a clear description of the enzymes involved, the catalyzed reactions, and the genetic organization of their genes. In the chapter 2, the extraordinary capability of white root fungi for the degradation of chlorinated compounds is demonstrated through their unspecific secreted enzymes such as laccases and peroxidases, especially for Phanerochaete chrysosporium, the model organism. The metabolic potential of fungi allows an important versatility for the degradation of a wide range of chlorinated substrates covering aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Explosives have been largely widespread in the environment presenting a threat for the ecosystems and human health. Appropriate decontamination strategies are therefore required to mitigate their effects, microbial activities appearing effective for such a job. The degradation capacities of explosives such as TNT, RDX, and HMX by microorganisms are reviewed through three complementary chapters (chapters 5, 8, and 9). The degradation pathways, which were described from several bacterial strains under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, are largely presented. Each chapter, constructed on a different way, brings specific information and at the end, readers get a global and comprehensive view of the microbial mechanisms involved in the degradation of explosive compounds as well as interesting biotechnological developments such as explosive sensors that represent promising applications for the detection of explosives in the environment. The extraordinary capacity of microbes to degrade recalcitrant compounds is, once again, demonstrated with the Bibliography Microbial Degradation of Xenobiotics Shree Nath Singh Springer ISBN: 978-3-642-23788-1 Hardcover, 483 pages 2012, 139.05 €