Degradation of alkyl benzene sulfonate by Pseudomonas species.

Pseudomonas sp. HK-1 showed a direct relation between the concentration of alkyl benzene sulfonate (ABS) supplied and cell yields. Since growth on ABS alone did not occur, it was necessary to correlate the total energy obtained by the cells to the ABS concentration when glucose was supplied in a limiting concentration. Several types of metabolic attack in addition to the sulfonate removal were noted: (i) side-chain utilization as indicated by the production of tertiarybutyl alcohol and isopropanol and (ii) ring metabolism as indicated by the presence of phenol, catechol, mandelic acid, benzyl alcohol, and benzoic acid in spent growth media. Utilization of ABS was greatly enhanced by the presence of phenol. This enhancement suggests co-metabolism and that limited concentrations of phenolic products derived from ABS must be accumulated to get active metabolism of the ABS molecule.