Physical state in which naphthalene and bibenzyl are utilized by bacteria

The generation times of a strain of Pseudomonas grown on a mineral salts medium in the presence of various amounts of naphthalene did not vary with the amount of solid present, and these generation times were the same as the generation time on mineral salts medium containing only dissolved naphthalene. The generation time of a soil isolate grown on mineral salts medium in the presence of 0.5 g of solid bibenzyl per liter was the same as the generation time on a mineral salts medium saturated with bibenzyl. The evidence indicates that naphthalene and bibenzyl are utilized in the dissolved state.