Surprise discovery as research shows trihalogenated anilines make synthetic chemicals

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Organic molecules generated by diatoms serve as a base for marine food webs. Finding an alga that biosynthesises halogenated anilines means that another organism probably consumes them

Trihalogenated anilines are synthetic chemicals made from chemicals found in crude oil and used as flame retardants. However, their toxic effects cause concern. Now research has shown that these chemicals are also made by algae. They live in a balanced microbial community, so scientists now hope to identify the compound that degrades the toxic compounds.

Read the full story in Chemistry World. 

 

 

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