FIG. 1.

Effect of pregrowth conditions on the mineralization of pyrene and fluoranthene by Mycobacterium sp. strain CH1. Cells were resuspended in minimal salts medium at a concentration equivalent to 0.10 absorbance unit at 600 nm. Bioreactors were incubated in the presence of 25 mg of [¹⁴C]pyrene or [¹⁴C]fluoranthene per liter. The production of ¹⁴CO₂ was measured as described in Materials and Methods. Pregrowth on acetate in the presence of pyrene is represented by ■ and •, and pregrowth on acetate in the presence of fluoranthene is represented by □ and ○. Cells pregrown on acetate in the absence of PAHs are represented by ◊ and ⧫. Mineralization of pyrene is represented by ■, □, and ⧫. Mineralization of fluoranthene is represented by •, ○, and ◊.