An electron acceptor is a chemical entity that accepts electrons transferred to it from another compound. It is an oxidizing agent that, by virtue of its accepting electrons, is itself reduced in the process. Properties The electron is a lightweight fundamental subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge. ... European Union Chemical hazard symbol for oxidizing agents Dangerous goods label for oxidising agents An oxidizing agent is a compound that oxidizes another substance in electrochemistry or redox chemical reactions. ... In ring theory, a ring R is said to be reduced if it has no non-zero nilpotent elements. ...

A terminal electron acceptor is a compound that receives or accepts an electron during cellular respiration or photosynthesis. Microorganisms such as bacteria obtain energy to grow by transferring electrons from an electron donor to an electron acceptor. The microorganism through its cellular machinery collects the energy for its use. The process starts with the transfer of an electron from an electron donor. During this process (electron transport chain) the electron acceptor is reduced and the electron donor is oxidized. Examples of acceptors include oxygen, nitrate, iron (III), manganese (IV), sulfate, carbon dioxide, or in some cases the chlorinated solvents such as tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC). These reactions are of interest not only because they allow organisms to obtain energy, but also because they are involved in the natural biodegradation of organic contaminants. When clean-up professionals use monitored natural attenuation to clean up contaminated sites, biodegradation is one of the major contributing processes. Cellular respiration is the process in which the chemical bonds of energy-rich molecules such as glucose are converted into energy usable for life processes. ... The leaf is the primary site of photosynthesis in plants. ... A microorganism or microbe is an organism that is so small that it is microscopic (invisible to the naked eye). ... Subgroups Actinobacteria Aquificae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are a major group of living organisms. ... An electron donor is a compound that gives up or donates an electron during cellular respiration, resulting in the release of energy. ... The Electron Transport Chain. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 15. ... In inorganic chemistry, a nitrate is a salt of nitric acid. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... General Name, Symbol, Number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 54. ... In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate (IUPAC-recommended spelling; also sulphate in British English) is a salt of sulfuric acid. ... Carbon dioxide is an atmospheric gas comprised of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... Chlorination is the process of adding the element chlorine to water to make it fit for human consumption (potable) or to water intended for swimming or bathing in order to keep it from spreading disease. ... Tetrachloroethylene Cl2C=CCl2 is a manufactured chemical that is widely used for the dry cleaning of fabrics and for metal-degreasing. ... The chemical compound trichloroethylene is a chlorinated hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent. ... Dichloroethene, often abbreviated as DCE, can refer to any one of several isomeric forms of the organochloride with the molecular formula C2H2Cl2: There are two isomers: 1,1-dichloroethene 1,2-dichloroethene Dichloroethene should not be confused with dichloroethane which is often abbreviated as DCA. This is a disambiguation page... Vinyl chloride, also known as chloroethene in IUPAC nomenclature, is an important industrial chemical chiefly used to produce its polymer, polyvinyl chloride (PVC). ... Biodegradation is the decomposition of organic material by microorganisms. ...

Sources

• United States Geological Survey
• Environmental Protection Agency