Halogenated aromatic /compounds mineralization

Aqueous mineral acids react with BF to yield the hydrates of BF or the hydroxyfluoroboric acids, fluoroboric acid, or boric acid. Solution in aqueous alkali gives the soluble salts of the hydroxyfluoroboric acids, fluoroboric acids, or boric acid. Boron trifluoride, slightly soluble in many organic solvents including saturated hydrocarbons (qv), halogenated hydrocarbons, and aromatic compounds, easily polymerizes unsaturated compounds such as butylenes (qv), styrene (qv), or vinyl esters, as well as easily cleaved cycHc molecules such as tetrahydrofuran (see Furan derivatives). Other molecules containing electron-donating atoms such as O, S, N, P, etc, eg, alcohols, acids, amines, phosphines, and ethers, may dissolve BF to produce soluble adducts. 

Thus the microbial activity is chiefly responsible for the mineralization of halogenated compounds, which enter into a variety of natural habitats. The toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects of various chlorinated compoxmds make studies of these compounds at various levels, extremely important. As excellent recent reviews on the microbial degradation of halogenated aromatics are available [5-8], a brief description of tiie degradation of some important chloroaromatics, with available enzymological studies, will be presented. 

Schnaak et al. [4] Polychlorinated terphenyls, naphthalenes, chloropesticides, halogenated hydrocarbon solvents, aromatic hydrocarbon solvents (BTEX), chlorobenzenes, poly aromatic hydrocarbons (EPA 610), phenols, chlorophenols, phthalates, petroleum hydrocarbons, LAS and nonylphenol (NP), organotin compounds and 2,4-dichloroaniline 1 pg/kg to 10 mg/kg for chlorine-contained compounds 10 pg/kg to 1 g/kg for solvent and phenols 1 mg/kg to 10 g/kg for EPA610, DEHP, LAS, and mineral oils Sewage sludge... 

Workers come in contact with a large number of chemical substances in work areas, as does the general public. The commonly found chemical carcinogens are grouped under (1) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), (2) nitroso compounds, (3) halogenated hydrocarbons (solvents e.g., carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, trichloroethylene, and methylene chloride), (4) inorganic metals and minerals (beryllium, cadmium, nickel, cobalt, chromium, asbestos and arsenic), and (5) naturally occurring chemical substances (aflatoxins). 

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