Enantioselective and nonenantioselective degradation of organic pollutants in the marine ecosystem

Enantiomeric ratios of 11 chiral environmental pollutants determined in different compartments of the marine ecosystem by chiral capillary gas chromatography and chiral high‐performance liquid chromatography allow discrimination between the following processes: enantioselective decomposition of both enantiomers with different velocities by marine microorganisms (α‐HCH, β‐PCCH, γ‐PCCH); enantioselective decomposition of one enantiomer only by marine microorganisms (DCPP); enantioselective decomposition by enzymatic processes in marine biota (α‐HCH, β‐PCCH, trans‐chlordane, cis‐chlordane, octachlordane MC4, octachlordane MC5, octachlordane MC7, oxychlordane, heptachlor epoxide); enantioselective active transport through the “blood–brain barrier” (α‐HCH); nonenantioselective photochemical degradation (α‐HCH, β‐PCCH). © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.