Mineralization of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid): Characterization and phylogenetic identification of microbial strains

Four bacterial strains that use picric acid as their sole carbon and energy source were isolated, Mineralization of C-14-UL-picric acid showed that up to 65% of the radioactivity was released as (CO2)-C-14, HPLC and UV/Vis spectral analyses indicated complete degradation of picric acid by these organisms. HPLC and LC/MS analyses showed transient formation of 2,4-dinitrophenol during picric acid degradation. Degradation of picric acid was concomitant with stoichiometric release of three moles of nitrite per mole of picric acid, The four picric acid degraders were identified as close relatives of Nocardioides simplex (ATCC 6946) based on their small subunit (16S) rRNA gene sequences.