IRON-BINDING CATECHOLS OXIDATING LIGNIN AND CHLOROLIGNIN

Iron-chelating low-molecular-weight compounds or catecholate sideropho res have been suggested to be involved in mood biodegradation. To help in understanding the mechanism involved in the enzyme-like activity o f catecholate siderophores, the oxidative properties of 2,3-dihydroxyb enzoic acid (DHBA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DHPAA) chelated with iron were studied. The pH and catechol/Fe(III) ratios were optim ized for o-dianisidine oxidation, obtaining a maximum at pH 7.0, in th e absence of buffer, and a catechol/Fe(III) ratio of 1:2 to DHBA and 1 :1 to DHPAA was found. Under these conditions, the catechols were able to reduce Fe(III) to Fe(II) acting like siderophore models. The Fe(PI I) complex of DHBA and of DHPAA degraded dioxane-lignin in 60% after 2 h and 85% after 24 h, respectively. DHBA/Fe(III) oxidized the bleachi ng effluent (E1) in 80% in 5 min under the studied conditions. (C) 199 8 Academic Press.