DEGRADATION OF BENZENE 1,3-DISULFONATE BY A MIXED BACTERIAL CULTURE

A benzene 1,3-disulfonate degrading mixed bacterial culture was isolat ed from the River Elbe downstream of Hamburg. The mixed culture was co mposed of five different bacterial strains. None of these strains grew in axenic culture with benzene 1,3-disulfonate as sole source of carb on and energy. In the presence of 4-nitrocatechol, resting cells of th e mixed culture converted benzene 1,3-disulfonate to catechol 4-sulfon ate. Experiments with cell-free extracts demonstrated that catechol 4- sulfonate was further metabolized via 3-sulfomuconate and 4-carboxymet hyl-4-sulfobut-2-en-4-olide.