Tandem biodegradation of BTEX components by two Pseudomonas sp.

A co-culture of two Pseudomonas putida isolates was enriched from sediment on a mixture of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, p-xylene, and o-xylene. The co-culture readily degraded each of the compounds present. Benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene were used as growth substrates by one isolate, while toluene, m-xylene, and p-xylene were used as growth substrates by the other. Neither isolate could grow on o-xylene, but it was removed in the presence of the other compounds presumably by co-metabolism. The findings presented here support other reports in which constructed communities were effectively used to degrade blends of between two and four of the components of BTEX. However, here the co-culture of two P. putida isolates effectively degraded a complete BTEX stream containing all six of the components.