2,4,6-TRINITROTOLUENE (TNT) TRANSFORMATION BY CLOSTRIDIA ISOLATED FROM A MUNITION-FED BIOREACTOR - COMPARISON WITH NON-ADAPTED BACTERIA

Several bacterial strains were examined for their ability to degrade t he nitroaromatic explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). The strains ex amined included various clostridial strains isolated from a 4-year-old munition enrichment, related clostridial strains obtained from a cult ure collection, two enteric bacteria, and three lactobacilli. All Clos tridium species tested were able to reduce TNT rapidly in a complex me dium. In cell suspension experiments, these strains were also able to reduce 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene (DANT) to 2,4,6-triaminotoluene (TAT ) and to produce a compound that is not yet identified; thus, they cou ld not be distinguished from one another with regard to the pathway of transformation. The enteric strains and the lactobacilli were able to perform the initial reduction of TNT, but none was capable of reducin g DANT in cell suspensions.