Microbial transformations of 7,2-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

Abstract

Microbial transformations of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, a carcinogenic polycycic aromatic hydrocarbon, in cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Penicillium notatum were studied by high performance liquid chromatographic separation of metabolic fractions followed by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of the metabolites. Two methyl-hydroxylated metabolites were identified in each of the incubations. The metabolic activation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon suggests a possible involvement of microorganisms in environmental carcinogenesis.