Anaerobic transformations of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), 1,1-dichloroethane (DCA), and chloroethane (CA) were studied with sludge from a lab-scale, municipal wastewater sludge digester. TCA was biologically transformed to DCA and CA and further to ethane by reductive dechlorination. TCA was also converted to acetic acid and 1,1-dichloroethene (11DCE) by cell-free extract. 11DCE was further biologically converted to ethene. This pathway was confirmed by transformation tests of TCA, DCA and CA, by tests with cell-free extract, and by chloride release during TCA degradation.
