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Reductive Dechlorination of Carbon Tetrachloride Mediated by Cationic Water-Soluble Metalloporphyrins

Inst. for Molecular and Agric. Genetic Eng., Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844;
Div. of Soil Science and Center for Hazardous Waste Remediation Res., Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844;
Dep. of Chemistry, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844.

^* Corresponding author (mmorra{at}marvin.ag.uidaho.edu).

ABSTRACT

Microbial degradation of halogenated pollutants in wastewaters may be limited by toxic contaminant concentrations or poor membrane permeability of the target compound. Extracellular catalysts can be used in wastewater treatment schemes to overcome these limitations. Water soluble porphyrins with functional groups suitable for immobilization were synthesized as catalysts for reductive dehalogenation of organic contaminants. Synthesized mesosubstituted porphyrins contained (with one exception) three N-methyl-4-pyridinium substituents and a phenyl substituent having the -OH, -OCH₃, -NH₂, or -C(O)OCH₂C₆H₄-CH=CH₂ group located in the p-position. Catalytic activity was assessed by measuring carbon tetrachloride disappearance in reactions containing a synthetic porphyrin, dithiothreitol, and tris buffer (pH 8.2). Porphyrins metallated with Co or Ni had higher catalytic activities than those metallated with Fe. Changes in meso substituents also altered catalytic activity, with aminophenyl substitution resulting in porphyrins catalyzing the highest rates of carbon tetrachloride disappearance. Although chloroform, dichloromethane, and carbon monoxide were found to be breakdown products, no methane was detected and <40% of the carbon tetrachloride could be recovered in identified volatile products. When ¹⁴C carbon tetrachloride was used as substrate, approximately 80% of the label was found in the aqueous phase of the reaction mixture. Synthetic porphyrins have potential utility in wastewater treatment as catalysts for reductive dehalogenation, but further identification of degradative products is necessary.

(current address: Dep. of Chemistry, Silesian Univ., Szkolna 9, 40006 Katowice, Poland)

Received for publication April 18, 1994.