The reductive dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride (CT) by Fe-II-Fe-III hydroxide (green rust) intercalated with dodecanoate, (Fe4Fe2III)-Fe-II (OH)(12)(C12H23O2)(2)center dot gamma H2O (designated GR(C12)), at pH similar to 8 and at room temperature was investigated. CT at concentration levels similar to those found in heavily contaminated groundwater close to polluted industrial sites (14 988 mu M) was reduced mainly to the fully dechlorinated products carbon monoxide (CO, yields >54 and formic acid (HCOOH, yields >6. Minor formation of chloroform (CF), the only chlorinated degradation product, was also detected (yields