ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROORGANISMS DEGRADING POLYCYCLICAROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS

A collection of bacterial strains capable of degrading polycyclic arom atic hydrocarbons has been established. The isolated microorganisms we re represented by gram-negative, catalase-positive rods, including Pse udomonas putida and Pseudomonas sp. All the strains able to degrade na phthalene could transform phenanthrene. Four microorganisms were capab le of growing in mineral medium with phenanthrene as the sole source o f carbon and energy. 1-Hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid was one of the interme diates of phenanthrene degradation by these strains.