Metabolism of chiral pollutants

The chiral resolution of environmental pollutants by CE is a very interesting feature, since one of the chiral isomers may be more toxic than the other. In addition, biological transformation of the enantiomers is many times stereoselective, and, therefore, their uptake, metabolism, and excretion can be different. Besides, CE has also been utilized to separate the structural isomers of various toxic pollutants such as phenols, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, etc. 

Many chiral xenobiotics are lipophilic and, thus, these pollutants are absorbed into plants and may accumulate to toxic levels. The fate and bioconversion of chiral xenobiotics in plants is, therefore, of importance to the natural world as a whole, and to agriculture and human health. The levels of xenobiotics in plants can be reduced by elimination via roots and leaves, or by metabolism. Again, the rate and the fate of the phytotransformed products depend on various environmental conditions and the concentrations of the xenobiotics. 

Mueller,T. A., Kohler, H. P. E., Chirality of pollutants-effects on metabolism and fate, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 2004, 64, 300-316. 

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