Liquid chromatography study of degradation and metabolism of pentachloronitrobenzene by four soil micromycetes

The pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) biodegradation by four soil micromycetes, Mucor racemosus, Sporothrix cyanescens, Paecilomyces farinosus and Pithomyces chartarum was studied after 24 h and 120 h. Quantitation of PCNB and identification of its metabolites were monitored by LC analysis of the culture media on a 5 μm Adsorbosphere HS C18 column with methanol/water (93:7) pH 3.5 (1.0 ml/min) and UV detection at 301 nm. The extraction process of PCNB and its metabolites was performed on an Extrelut® cartridge with ethyl acetate as eluent. Strains were able to degrade PCNB with high efficiency. Five metabolites were identified : pentachloroaniline, tetrachloroaniline, pentachlorothiophenol, pentachlorothioanisole and pentachloroanisole. Based on our findings, three metabolic pathways were retained.