Microbial degradation of pentachlorophenol

For many years, pentachlorophenol (PCP) was the most commonly used wood preservative around the world. The widespread use of PCP has resulted in many contamination problems. Clean-up of PCP contaminated sites typically involved disposal to landfills, incineration, and abiotic degradation processes (e.g., photodecomposition). Researchers have identified certain aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms that are capable of degrading PCP under a range of different conditions. Several of the axenic bacterial cultures capable of degrading PCP are assessed, including Flavobacterium sp., Rhodococcus sp., Arthrobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Sphingomonas sp. In addition, fungal cultures capable of degrading PCP are described. The effects of nutrient amendment, temperature, and pH on the process are analyzed.