DESULFURIZATION OF DIBENZOTHIOPHENE DERIVATIVES BY WHOLE CELLS OF RHODOCOCCUS-ERYTHROPOLIS H-2

The dibenzothiophene desulfurizing bacterium, Rhodococcus erythropolis H-2, could grow on dibenzothiophene derivatives such as 3,4-benzodibe nzothiophene, 2,8-dimethyldibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothio phene as sulfur sources. Using whole cells, the structurally asymmetri c dibenzothiophene derivative 3,4-benzodibenzothiophene, added at 1 mM , was completely degraded within 12 h. The reaction product from 3,4-b enzodibenzothiophene was identified as an alpha-hydroxy-beta-phenylnap hthalene by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. The reaction products From structurally symmetrica l 2,8- and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophenes were also identified as the c orresponding monohydroxy dimethyl biphenyls. The initial reaction rate s for 2,8-dimethyldibenzothiophene, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene and 3 ,4-benzodibenzothiophene were about 120, 60 and 20% that of dibenzothi ophene.