The bacterial degradation of fluoranthene and benzo[alpyrene.

A gas chromatographic method to determine fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene at concentrations close to the limit of their solubility in water was used to identify several species of pseudomonads able to degrade fluoranthene and benzol[a]pyrene. Degradation occurs most rapidly in cultures in the stationary phase, is heat sensitive, requires oxygen, and is enhanced in the presence of cyanide.