Diversity of bacterial capabilities in utilizing alkylated benzenes and other aromatic compounds

Seventeen aerobic bacterial strains known to degrade one or more aromatic compounds were tested for their ability to utilize benzene, seven different methylated benzenes or other aromatic compounds as their sole source of carbon. The results are discussed with respect to the possibility of finding strains which degrade one or more of these compounds by the applied method of screening, and to their taxonomic status.