Identification of a hydride-Meisenheimer complex as a metabolite of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene by a Mycobacterium strain.

A bacterial strain, Mycobacterium sp. strain HL 4-NT-1, enriched with 4-nitrotoluene as its sole source of nitrogen, was able to metabolize 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene under aerobic conditions. The dark red-brown metabolite, which accumulated in the culture fluid, was identified as a hydride-Meisenheimer complex by comparison with an authentic synthetic sample.