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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1970 October; 20(4): 608-611
Copyright © 1970 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Bacterial Degradation of Diphenylmethane, a DDT Model Substrate

Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, Department of Agronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850

ABSTRACT

A strain of Hydrogenomonas was isolated by elective culture in a solution with diphenylmethane, an analogue of DDT, as the sole carbon source. Constitutive enzymes effected the oxidation and fission of one of the benzene rings of diphenylmethane, and phenylacetic acid was found as a major degradation product. Small amounts of phenylglyoxylic and benzoic acids were also generated from diphenylmethane by the bacterium. Phenylacetic acid, which contains the second benzene ring of diphenylmethane, was metabolized by inducible enzymes.

¹ Present address: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Calif. 92502.