BACTERIAL-DEGRADATION OF 2 XENOBIOTICS

Biodegradation of two different types of xenobiotics, the herbicide 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and the rubber additive and corro sion inhibit or 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT) was studied. The anaer obic degradation of 2-MBT by sulphur bacteria was determined by UV spe ctrophotometry and thin-layer chromatography. The rate of 2-MBT biodeg radation was relatively slow; during 5 weeks only 74 per cent of 2-MBT was degraded, The degree of 2,4-D mineralisation by Arthrobacter CCM 2841 was characterized on the basis of (CO2)-C-14 liberation from the radioactively labelled herbicide molecule. The (CO2)-C-14 production f rom the 2,4-[C-14](6) dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by the cell suspensio n showed some features of an exponential curve with the fastest part b etween the 2nd and 3rd week of incubation.