Degradation of chlorinated dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins by Sphingomonas sp. strain RW1

The bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain RW1 degrades many mono- and dichlorinated dibenzofurans, and dibenzo-p-dioxins, to the mono- and dichlorinated salicylates and catechols. The degradation is apparently a dioxygenolytic attack on the substituted and nonsubstituted aromatic nucleus of the target compounds. The strain RW1 uses monochlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans as the carbon source.