Research Product

Samples, suspected of having a capability to biologically transform trichloroethylene (TCE), were provided by Tyndall Air Force Base for verification and characterization of activity. Biological transformation of TCE was not observed in these samples. Other soil and water samples, obtained from the Pensacola area, were therefore screened for TCE degradation activity. One sample was found to have this ability and a gram-negative bacillus, which appeared to be responsible for the metabolic activity was isolated. The isolated organism degrades TCE (up to 3.4 µM) to less than 0.02 µM within 24 hours. TCE degradation occured only when water from the original site of isolation and O2 were in the medium. The isolate converted TCE into CO2 and unidentified nonvolatile products. Phenol, toluene o- and m-cresol were found to replace the site water requirement for TCE metabolism.