DEGRADATION OF TRICHLOROETHYLENE BY METHANOL-GROWN CULTURES OF METHYLOSINUS-TRICHOSPORIUM OB3B PP358

A soluble methane monooxygenase-constitutive mutant strain of Methylos inus trichosporium OB3b, strain PP358, was grown with methanol as the carbon source, and the kinetics of trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation were determined. PP358 exhibited high TCE degradation rates under bot h oxygen- and carbon-limiting conditions. The optimal pseudo first-ord er rate constant for TCE was comparable to the values measured for cel ls grown,vith methane. We found that growth under oxygen-limiting cond itions results in increased accumulation of polyhydroxybutyrate, which in turn correlates,vith higher transformation capacities for TCE. It was also shown that methanol inhibits TCE degradation only at high con centrations. Thus, methanol-grown cultures of PP358 represent an effic ient system for the biodegradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons.