Oxidative degradation of 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin by microorganisms

Abstract
2,3,7,8‐Tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) was metabolized by pure cultures of Nocardiopsis spp. and Bacillus megaterium. The degree of metabolism was strongly dependent on the solvent used, with ethyl acetate giving the best results. TCDD metabolism by B. megaterium increased when the concentration of soybean extract was reduced from 1.6% to 0.8%. Two TCDD‐degrading bacteria were isolated from farm soil that consistently showed a low level of TCDD‐degrading activity.