Why Is the Biodegradation of Polyfluorinated Compounds So Rare?

Thousands of heavily fluorinated chemicals are found in the environment, impact human and ecosystem health, and are relatively resistant to biological and chemical degradation. Their persistence in the environment is due to the inability of most microorganisms to biodegrade them. Only a very few exa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:mSphere 2021-10, Vol.6 (5), p.e0072121-e0072121
Main Author: Wackett, Lawrence P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Biodegradation
Biodegradation, Environmental
Carbon - chemistry
Carbon - metabolism
Chemical degradation
Consortia
Editor's Pick
Environmental Microbiology
Enzymes
Fluorides
Fluorine
Fluorine - chemistry
Fluorine - metabolism
Metabolism
Microorganisms
Natural products
PCB
Perfluoroalkyl & polyfluoroalkyl substances
Perspective
Phylogeny
Physiology
Polychlorinated biphenyls
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Summary:Thousands of heavily fluorinated chemicals are found in the environment, impact human and ecosystem health, and are relatively resistant to biological and chemical degradation. Their persistence in the environment is due to the inability of most microorganisms to biodegrade them. Only a very few examples of polyfluorinated compound biodegradation are known, and the reported rates are very low. This has been mostly attributed to the low chemical reactivity of the C-F bond. This Perspective goes beyond that explanation to highlight microbiological reasons why polyfluorinated compounds resist metabolism. The evolutionary and physiological impediments must be appreciated to better find, study, and harness microbes that degrade polyfluorinated compounds.
ISSN:2379-5042
2379-5042
DOI:10.1128/mSphere.00721-21