DEGRADATION OF 4,5-DICHLOROGUAIACOL BY SOIL-MICROORGANISMS

No microorganisms could be isolated from chemostats or from a soil col umn fed with 4,5-dichloroguaiacol as the only carbon source. If guaiac ol was added to chemostats with 4,5-dichloroguaiacol, either soil micr obial consortia or guaiacol-degrading bacteria could dechlorinate the 4,5-dichloroguaiacol provided it was < 0.2 mM. A microbial consortium from farm soil removed 4,5-dichloroguaiacol under aerobic or anoxic co nditions, with or without chlorolignin. Dichlorocatechol was the only 4,5-dichloroguaiacol-derived metabolite detected. In aerobic incubatio ns, 4,5-dichlorocatechol was further degraded whereas under anoxic con ditions it accumulated.