Selective, light-driven enzymatic dehalogenations of organic compounds

Abstract

Tetrachloroethene reductive dehalogenase (PceA), a corrinoid-containing enzyme from Sulfurospirillum multivorans, is highly active for the sequential reduction of the organohalide tetrachloroethene (PCE) to trichloroethene (TCE), then regiospecifically to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE). We demonstrate direct electron transfer from graphite and semiconductor electrodes to PceA adsorbed onto the electrode surface. Colloidal TiO₂ nanoparticles modified with PceA efficiently carry out the sequence of dehalogenation reactions under UV light irradiation.