Chloroform cometabolism by bacterial strains grown on butane

In this microcosm study we have monitored the performances of 12 butane-utilizing consortia during a long-term aerobic cometabolic degradation of chloroform (CF). After approximately 100 days of continuous CF degradation, a sudden improvement of the biodegradative performances (7-fold increase of https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> r c and 4-fold increase of https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> r c / r s ratio) was observed in two microcosms in which the highest amount of depleted CF ( https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> > 70 m g k g dry soil - 1 ) was observed. Two bacterial strains, isolated from the CF-degrading microcosms, were identified belonging to the genera Rhodococcus and Stenotrophomonas, respectively. A strain, named F, was further characterized to establish the involvement of the butane-monooxygenase in CF degradation.