Growth of Various Bacteria on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and N-2–Fluorenylacetamide

Several heterotrophic bacteria grew in nutrient broth medium containing high concentrations (10⁻⁵ M) of the potent carcinogenic compounds, benz[a]pyrene, 3-methylcholanthrene or N-2–fluorenylacetamide. They were capable of metabolizing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to smaller molecules and utilized these compounds as the sole source of carbon and energy. Identification of the metabolites formed from benz[a]pyrene revealed that the major metabolite (3-hydroxybenz[a]pyrene) of mammalian systems did not accumulate in any of these cultures when the standard fluorometric assay was used. Benz[a]pyrene metabolism profiles with high-pressure liquid chromatography also exhibited no accumulation of any metabolites (hydroxy, quinone and diol derivatives).