[Microbial degradation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins]

PCDDs-degrading bacterial strains were isolated from soil and oxic-sediments polluted by PCDDs. One of them was identified as Pseudomonas sp. EE41. They are capable of growing on and degrade mono- and di-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins as a sole carbon source. The biodegradability of TrCDD and TCDD can be enhanced through primary nutrient of co-metabolism of o-CDB, thus, 1,2,3-TrCDD and 2,3,7,8-TCDD were degraded by 33% (at the concentration of 1.2 mg/L, within 3 weeks) and 37.8% (at the concentration of 0.1 mg/L, within 3 weeks) respectively. Most highly chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (P-CDD, H6-, H7-CDD and OCDD) tested in this study were accumulated in bacterial cells, but could not be degraded.