Patent ID: 6613558
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: C12N,C12P,C12R

Abstract:
In a method of treating an environment of soil or water containing carbon tetrachloride (CT) and resident bacteria and having a neutral pH, the improvement which comprises:(a) adjusting the soil or water being treated to an alkaline pH which suppresses the resident bacteria in the soil or water; (b) providing cells of Pseudomonas PsKC deposited as ATCC 55595 and mutants thereof possessing the capability of PsKC for degradation of the CT which acts upon the CT at the alkaline pH in the soil or water while maintaining the alkaline pH of step (a) under anaerobic conditions and at a temperature so that the CT is converted to carbon dioxide and a non-volatile fraction end product, wherein the cells are grown in a culture medium containing a carbon source and a nitrogen source to a level prior to being provided in the soil or water, which cells are introduced to the soil or water to provide at least about 104 CFU per gram of the soil or water and which cells convert the CT to carbon dioxide and the end product while the resident bacteria are suppressed; and (c) reversing the pH to a more neutral pH similar to the neutral pH of the soil or water before the pH adjustment of step (a).