Daniel Rentsch

A novel metabolic pathway for degradation of 4-nonylphenol environmental contaminants by Sphingomonas xenophaga bayram : ipso-hydroxylation and intramolecular rearrangement

Several nonylphenol isomers with α-quaternary carbon atoms serve as growth substrates for Sphingomonas xenophaga Bayram, whereas isomers containing hydrogen atoms at the α-carbon do not (Gabriel, F. L. P., Giger, W., Guenther, K., and Kohler, H.-P. E. (2005) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71, 1123–1129). Three metabolites of 4-(1-methyloctyl)-phenol were isolated in mg quantities from cultures of strain Bayram supplemented with the growth substrate isomer 4-(1-ethyl-1,4-dimethyl-pentyl)-phenol. They were unequivocally identified as 4-hydroxy-4-(1-methyl-octyl)-cyclohexa-2,5-dienone, 4-hydroxy-4-(1-methyl-octyl)-cyclohex-2-enone, and 2-(1-methyl-octyl)-benzene-1,4-diol by high pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, two metabolites originating from 4-n-nonylphenol were identified as 4-hydroxy-4-nonyl-cyclohexa-2,5-dienone and 4-hydroxy-4-nonyl-cyclohex-2-enone by high pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We conclude that nonylphenols were initially hydroxylated at the ipso-position forming 4-alkyl-4-hydroxy-cyclohexa-2,5-dienones. Dienones originating from growth substrate nonylphenol isomers underwent a rearrangement that involved a 1,2-C,O shift of the alkyl moiety as a cation to the oxygen atom of the geminal hydroxy group yielding 4-alkoxyphenols, from which the alkyl moieties can be easily detached as alcohols by known mechanisms. Dienones originating from nongrowth substrates did not undergo such a rearrangement because the missing alkyl substituents at the α-carbon atom prevented stabilization of the putative α-carbocation. Instead they accumulated and subsequently underwent side reactions, such as 1,2-C,C shifts and dihydrogenations. The ipso-hydroxylation and the proposed 1,2-C,O shift constitute key steps in a novel pathway that enables bacteria to detach α-branched alkyl moieties of alkylphenols for utilization of the aromatic part as a carbon and energy source.

Gasoline composition determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy

A fast and simple 1H NMR spectroscopic method was developed for the concentration measurement of aromatic, olefinic and aliphatic fractions in gasoline samples. Simultaneously, individual components such as benzene, methyl tert-butyl ether and several dienes could be determined. The method relies on only a few, well-established assumptions about the molecular compositions and is therefore applicable to a broad range of gasolines. It is well suited for laboratories with high sample throughput since measurement time is short and all concentrations are determined within one NMR experiment. The method was applied to commercial gasolines and samples used in European round robin tests. Comparisons of NMR and round robin test results showed excellent agreement.

Reversible hydrogen storage in Mg(BH4)2/carbon nanocomposites

Mg(BH4)2 exhibits a high hydrogen content of 14.9 wt% and thermodynamic stability in the overall decomposition reaction that corresponds to hydrogen desorption at around room temperature. However, the potential applications in hydrogen storage are restricted by high kinetic barriers. In this study, we show the synthesis of Mg(BH4)2/carbon nanocomposites by ball milling of MgH2 nanoparticles supported on carbon aerogel in a B2H6/H2 atmosphere. The nanocomposite exhibits a lower kinetic barrier as compared to bulk Mg(BH4)2. The temperature for major hydrogen desorption is decreased to 160 °C. Furthermore, re-formation of Mg(BH4)2 after full dehydrogenation is achieved under mild conditions (200 °C and 80 to 150 bar H2) in the nanocomposite. This work demonstrates nanoengineering as an effective approach to realize the reversible hydrogen storage of Mg(BH4)2 under mild conditions.

Systematic Exploration of Biotransformation Reactions of Amine-Containing Micropollutants in Activated Sludge

The main removal process for polar organic micropollutants during activated sludge treatment is biotransformation, which often leads to the formation of stable transformation products (TPs). Because the analysis of TPs is challenging, the use of pathway prediction systems can help by generating a list of suspected TPs. To complete and refine pathway prediction, comprehensive biotransformation studies for compounds exhibiting pertinent functional groups under environmentally relevant conditions are needed. Because many polar organic micropollutants present in wastewater contain one or several amine functional groups, we systematically explored amine biotransformation by conducting experiments with 19 compounds that contained 25 structurally diverse primary, secondary, and tertiary amine moieties. The identification of 144 TP candidates and the structure elucidation of 101 of these resulted in a comprehensive view on initial amine biotransformation reactions. The reactions with the highest relevance were N-oxidation, N-dealkylation, N-acetylation, and N-succinylation. Whereas many of the observed reactions were similar to those known for the mammalian metabolism of amine-containing xenobiotics, some N-acylation reactions were not previously described. In general, different reactions at the amine functional group occurred in parallel. Finally, recommendations on how these findings can be implemented to improve microbial pathway prediction of amine-containing micropollutants are given.

Solvent-free synthesis and stability of MgB12H12

MgB12H12 has been widely discussed as an intermediate in the hydrogen sorption cycles of Mg(BH4)2, but its properties such as stability and reactivity are still unknown. We achieved the synthesis of MgB12H12via the reaction between Mg(BH4)2 and B2H6 at 100 to 150 °C. When bulk Mg(BH4)2 was used as the starting material, a yield of 10.2 to 22.3 mol% was obtained, which was improved to 92.5 mol% by using Mg(BH4)2 nanoparticles. The as-synthesized MgB12H12 decomposed into boron between 400 and 600 °C, preceded by a possible polymerization process. The formation mechanism of MgB12H12 and its role in the decomposition process of Mg(BH4)2 are discussed.

Reactions of a sulfonamide antimicrobial with model humic constituents: assessing pathways and stability of covalent bonding.

The mechanism of covalent bond formation of the model sulfonamide sulfathiazole (STZ) and the stronger nucleophile para-ethoxyaniline was studied in reactions with model humic acid constituents (quinones and other carbonyl compounds) in the absence and presence of laccase. As revealed by high resolution mass spectrometry, the initial bonding of STZ occurred by 1,2- and 1,4-nucleophilic additions of the aromatic amino group to quinones resulting in imine and anilinoquinone formation, respectively. Experiments using the radical scavenger tert-butyl-alcohol provided the same products and similar formation rates as those without scavenger indicating that probably not radical coupling reactions were responsible for the initial covalent bond formation. No addition with nonquinone carbonyl compounds occurred within 76 days except for a slow 1,4-addition to the β-unsaturated carbonyl 1-penten-3-one. The stability of covalent bonds against desorption and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was assessed. The recovery rates showed no systematic differences in STZ extractability between the two product types. This suggests that the strength of bonding is not controlled by the initial type of bond, but by the extent of subsequent incorporation of the reaction product into the formed polymer. This incorporation was monitored for (15)N aniline by (1)H-(15)N HMBC NMR spectroscopy. The initial 1,2- and 1,4-addition bonds were replaced by stronger heterocyclic forms with increasing incubation time. These processes could also hold true for soils, and a slow nonextractable residue formation with time could be related to a slow increase of the amount of covalently bound sulfonamide and the strength of bonding.

Enzymatic Conversion of ε-Hexachlorocyclohexane and a Heptachlorocyclohexane Isomer, Two Neglected Components of Technical Hexachlorocyclohexane

α-, β, γ-, and δ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), the four major isomers of technical HCH, are susceptible to biotic transformations, whereby only α- and γ-HCH undergo complete mineralization. Nevertheless, LinA and LinB catalyzing HCl elimination and hydrolytic dehalogenations, respectively, as initial steps in the mineralization also convert β- and δ-HCH to a variety of mainly hydroxylated metabolites. In this study, we describe the isolation of two minor components of technical HCH, ε-HCH, and heptachlorocyclohexane (HeCH), and we present data on enzymatic transformations of both compounds by two dehydrochlorinases (LinA1 and LinA2) and a haloalkane dehalogenase (LinB) from Sphingobium indicum B90A. In contrast to reactions with α-, γ-, and δ-HCH, both LinA enzymes converted ε-HCH to a mixture of 1,2,4-, 1,2,3-, and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzenes without the accumulation of pentachlorocyclohexene as intermediate. Furthermore, both LinA enzymes were able to convert HeCH to a mixture of 1,2,3,4- and 1,2,3,5-tetrachlorobenzene. LinB hydroxylated ε-HCH to pentachlorocyclohexanol and tetrachlorocyclohexane-1,4-diol, whereas hexachlorocyclohexanol was the sole product when HeCH was incubated with LinB. The data clearly indicate that various metabolites are formed from minor components of technical HCH mixtures. Such metabolites will contribute to the overall toxic potential of HCH contaminations and may constitute serious, yet unknown environmental risks and must not be neglected in proper risk assessments.

New Metabolites in the Degradation of α- and γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH): Pentachlorocyclohexenes Are Hydroxylated to Cyclohexenols and Cyclohexenediols by the Haloalkane Dehalogenase LinB from Sphingobium indicum B90A

Technical hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and lindane are obsolete pesticides whose former production and use led to widespread contaminations posing serious and lasting health and environmental risks. Out of nine possible stereoisomers, alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-HCH are usually present at contaminated sites, and research for a better understanding of their biodegradation has become essential for the development of appropriate remediation technologies. Because haloalkane dehalogenase LinB was recently found responsible for the hydroxylation of beta-HCH, delta-HCH, and delta-pentachlorocyclohexene (delta-PCCH), we decided to examine whether beta- and gamma-PCCH, which can be formed by LinA from alpha- and gamma-HCH, respectively, were also converted by LinB. Incubation of such substrates with Escherichia coli BL21 expressing functional LinB originating from Sphingobium indicum B90A showed that both beta-PCCH and gamma-PCCH were direct substrates of LinB. Furthermore, we identified the main metabolites as 3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-2-cyclohexene-1-ols and 2,5,6-trichloro-2-cyclohexene-1,4-diols by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In contrast to alpha-HCH, gamma-HCH was not a substrate for LinB. On the basis of our data, we propose a modified gamma-HCH degradation pathway in which gamma-PCCH is converted to 2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-diol via 3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-2-cyclohexene-1-ol and 2,5,6-trichloro-2-cyclohexene-1,4-diol.

Is Y2(B12H12)3 the main intermediate in the decomposition process of Y(BH4)3

Dodecaborates, i.e. the [B12H12](2-) containing species, are often observed as main intermediates in the hydrogen sorption cycle of metal borohydrides, hindering rehydrogenation. In the decomposition process of Y(BH4)3, yttrium octahydrotriborate, i.e. Y(B3H8)3, rather than the stable Y2(B12H12)3, is formed as the main intermediate.

Synthesis of new bis(acyl)phosphane oxide photoinitiators for the surface functionalization of cellulose nanocrystals

A new synthesis of bis(acyl)phosphane oxide (BAPO) photoinitiators was developed which can be used to functionalize cellulose nanocrystal surfaces for polymer grafting. Hybrid materials with excellent graft yields can be rapidly obtained under mild and acid-free conditions.