The Metabolic Availability of Phenol Analogues to Bacterium NCIB 8250

Summary Of the monosubstituted phenols examined only 3 could be utilized by bacterium NCIB 8250 as sole carbon sources for growth. Only 3‐ and 4‐fluorophenols, and 4‐chlorophenol, in addition to phenol and catechol, were oxidized by the phenol metabolizing pathway. Fluoride ions were liberated during the metabolism of 3‐ and 4‐fluorophenols and accumulation of toxic intermediates was indicated at the higher substrate levels of the fluorophenols and 4‐chlorophenol. Phenol analogues inhibited phenol metabolism to varying degrees and some may have exerted an uncoupling effect on phenol metabolism. Only the fluorophenols and phenol induced phenol metabolizing activity in growing cells. Growth in the presence of certain other analogues resulted in cells whose inductive lag phase towards phenol was reduced.