Determination of the toxicity of several aromatic carbonylic compounds andtheir reduced derivatives on Phanerochaete chrysosporium using a Pseudomonas putida test system

We tested four aromatic carbonylic compounds and their corresponding reduce d derivatives, possible substrates, and products of a biotransformation for toxicity against the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The bac terium Pseudomonas putida, which has been proven to be a good test organism for investigating toxic effects, was used as a primary screen. For both P, chrysosporium and P. putida, all ketones showed a higher toxicity than the ir corresponding alcohol derivatives. Within one chemical group a direct co rrelation between the hydrophobicity (logP values) of the compounds and the ir toxicity could be observed. Furthermore, all tested compounds also cause d an isomerization of cis to trans unsaturated fatty acids in P. putida, a mechanism of this bacterium to adapt its membrane to toxic environmental in fluences. Toxicity of aromatic carbonylic compounds in an established biotr ansformation system with P. chrysosporium can be estimated by calculating t he corresponding logP values of the substrates and potential products. P, p utida can be used to test the toxicity of aromatic ketones to the basic dio mycete P. chrysosporium. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.