Assessment of the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)-dechlorinating potential of the indigenous microbial communities of contaminated marine sediments of the Venice Lagoon

The present work was carried out in the frame of EU FP7 ULIXES (GA 266473) to assess the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) dechlorinating potential of the indigenous microbial communities occurring in historically contaminated marine sediments of the first industrial area of Porto Marghera (Venice lagoon) and to identify microbial species involved in the process. The study, which was conducted under laboratory biogeochemical conditions miming those occurring in situ, revealed the occurrence of extensive PCB reductive dechlorination processes in three out of six sediments of the area, coupled with the enrichment two bacteria of the Chloroflexi phylum apparently responsible for two distinct dechlorination processes.