Growth Kinetics of Pseudomonas Alcaligenes C-0 Relative to Inoculation and 3-chlorobenzoate Metabolism in Soil

Pseudomonas alcaligenes C-0 was isolated from activated sewage sludge by enrichment with 3-chlorobenzoate (3CB) as the sole carbon source. The carbon balance from [14C]3CB in pure culture could be accounted for in substrate, biomass, and CO2 from all sampling periods and inoculum densities (0.012, 0.092, 0.20, and 0.92 micrograms of dry cells X ml-1), and inorganic chloride was produced stoichiometrically. Monod parameters as determined in culture were compared with the kinetics of 3CB metabolism in soil with decreasing inoculum densities (1.9 X 10(-1), 1.9 X 10(-3), and 1.9 X 10(-5) micrograms of cells X g-1). 3CB was refractile to attack in soil by indigenous microflora, but it was completely metabolized upon inoculation with P. alcaligenes C-0. The saturation constant KS was much higher in soil than in culture, but the yield coefficient Y and the growth rate constant were the same in both systems: mu max = 0.32 h-1; Y = 34 micrograms cells X mumol-1; KS = 0.18 mM in culture and 6.0 mM in soil solution (1.1 mumol X g-1 of soil). The parameter estimates obtained from the highest inoculum density could be used for the lower inoculum densities with reasonable agreement between predicted and observed 3CB concentrations in soil, although the residual sum of squares was progressively higher. Since the growth rate of P. alcaligenes C-0 in soil was comparable to its growth rate in culture, inoculation should be a viable strategy for biodegradation of 3CB in soil if indigenous microflora are unable to exploit this metabolic niche.