Biodegradation of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons: Mechanisms and Enhancement Strategies

ABSTRACT Chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs) are pervasive industrial contaminants with high persistence, volatility, toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential, resulting in long‐term risks to ecosystems and human health. Biodegradation offers a low‐pollution alternative to physicochemical treatments by harnessing functional microorganisms to transform CHCs into less toxic products through aerobic oxidation, aerobic co‐metabolism, and anaerobic reductive dechlorination. A diverse array of CHC‐degrading bacteria has been identified, including Dehalococcoides , Dehalobacter , Pseudomonas , Methylosinus , and Rhodococcus . However, single‐step biodegradation approaches remain constrained by slow reaction rates, accumulation of toxic intermediates, and limited microbial community stability. Various strategies for enhancing biodegradation, such as electrochemical–microbial coupling, material–microbial coupling, biostimulation, and bioaugmentation, have been developed and refined. This review systematically summarizes the degradation mechanisms and enhancement technologies for CHCs and discusses their laboratory research works and field applications.