Degradation of organic contaminants by a microbially-driven fenton reaction

摘要

The present invention is directed to a microbially-driven Fenton reaction for the transformation of organic contaminants. The microbially-driven Fenton reaction combines abiotic and biotic reactions in one system by utilizing the H₂O₂— and Fe(II)-producing microorganism Shewanella putrefaciens to generate Fenton reagents as metabolic by-products of alternating aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a process for oxidatively degrading organic contaminants comprising reacting Fe(III) citrate with S. putrefaciens under alternating anaerobic and aerobic conditions to generate Fenton reagents Fe(II) and H₂O₂, further reacting the Fenton reagents under neutral pH conditions with the organic contaminant to produce degraded transformation products of the contaminant.