Aerobic metabolism of trichloroethylene by a bacterial isolate.

A number of soil and water samples were screened for the biological capacity to metabolize trichloroethylene. One water sample was found to contain this capacity, and a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium which appeared to be responsible for the metabolic activity was isolated from this sample. The isolate degraded trichloroethylene to CO(2) and unidentified, nonvolatile products. Oxygen and water from the original site of isolation were required for degradation.