Bacterial Degradation of Dibenzo-P-Dioxin and Chlorinated Derivatives by the Bacterium Pseudomonas Spec. RW1

Highly toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans are produced continuously by incineration of domestic and industrial waste, leading to undesired contamination of the biosphere (1,2) and foodstuffs (3). Other sources of these compounds were considerable impurities of pentachlorophenol and halogenated pesticides. Above xenobiotics are very persistent compounds and resist microbial breakdown (4,5).