Previously unknown detoxification pathway for chloromethane revealed

Chloromethane is a gas that is toxic to humans and contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer. It is produced during the combustion of coal, biomass and other raw materials. Natural sources such as algae, plants and fungi also release it. A research team led by biologist Prof. Julia Kurth from the University of Münster has discovered and characterized a previously unknown enzyme system in anaerobic bacteria of the species Acetobacterium dehalogenans. This system converts the gas into nontoxic substances. The results, published in the journal Nature Communications, are of interest for environmental remediation, climate research and biotechnology.

This report comes from Phys.org. The story centres on Previously unknown detoxification pathway for chloromethane revealed. Full coverage and background context is available at the original source. Readers seeking more detail on this developing topic are encouraged to follow updates from Phys.org and related outlets covering this beat.