The metabolism of anthracene and 9,10-dimethylanthracene by bacteria isolated from waters

The metabolism of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons i.e. anthracene and 9,10-dimethylanthracene by Micrococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus macerans was examined. The above compounds were used as a sole carbon source for their growth. Using the reversed-phase thin layer chromatography techniques a number of anthracene and 9,10-dimethylanthracene metabolites were isolated and their structures identified spectroscopically. These included anthracene and 9,10-dimethylanthracene cis-dihydrodiols, hydroxy-methyl-derivatives and various phenolic compounds. Bacteria metabolise hydrocarbons using the dioxygenase enzyme system, which differs from the mammalian cytochrome P-450 monoxygenase. Hence in addition rat liver microsomal metabolism of the above hydrocarbons was investigated using the same separation techniques.