In groundwater subsurface deposits and a topsoil from five aquifers having 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM) in water, we determined the most-probable-number (MPN) of 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (dichlobenil) and metabolite BAM degrading microorganisms. Dichlobenil and BAM were combined nitrogen sources in the MPN tubes, which were scored positive at concentrations <75% after 1 month incubation. Aerobic and anaerobic microbes degrading dichlobenil and BAM were common in samples in low numbers of 3.6-210 MPN g dw(-1). Additional degradation occurred in high MPN dilutions of some samples, the microbial numbers being 0.11-120 x 10(5) MPN g dw(-1). The strains were isolated from low and high dilutions of one deposit, and degradation in pure cultures was confirmed by HPLC. According to the 16S rDNA sequencing, strains were from genera Zoogloea, Pseudomonas, Xanthomonas, Rhodococcus, Nocardioides, Sphingomonas, and Ralstonia. Dichlobenil (45.5 +/- 18.3%) and BAM (37.6 +/- 14%) degradation was low in the MPN tubes. Despite of microbial BAM degradation activity in subsurface deposits, BAM was measured from groundwater.

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