Evidence for the aerobic degradation of tetrachloroethylene by a bacterial isolate

Tetrachloroethylene is a widely used solvent and degreaser that resists aerobic biodegradation, making it a common groundwater contaminant. A strain of bacteria has been detected that uses tetrachloroethylene as its only source of carbon. The isolate, which was found in contaminated soil, was confirmed to be Pseudomonas spp.. In the presence of tetrachloroethylene, the culture biomass increased, as did chloride ion release. Since some pseudomonads use nitrates as electron acceptors in anaerobic conditions, the medium was nitrate free, demonstrating that tetrachloroethylene was the only possible carbon source.