Role of quinones in the biodegradation of priority pollutants: a review

Evidence is accumulating that inert humic substances can play important rol es in the anaerobic degradation of priority pollutants by shuttling electro ns. This paper reviews the roles of humus and quinone analogues as electron accepters, redox mediators and electron donors for microbial and abiotic d egradation processes. An eventual technology based on pumping quinones as t erminal electron accepters into aquifers and sediments to stimulate xenobio tic degradation offers promising potential. Also quinone redox mediators ca n be considered to accelerate reductive transformations (e.g, dechlorinatio n, azo cleavage) of priority pollutants.