Kinetic comparison of seven strains of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-degrading bacteria.

Seven strains of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-degrading bacteria, including Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, and Bordetella spp., were compared on the basis of growth kinetics. Estimates of maximum growth rate (mu max, k1) and half-saturation growth constant (Ks, k3) were obtained by fitting substrate depletion curves to a four-parameter version of the integrated Monod equation. Estimates of Ks ranged from 2.2 micrograms/ml (10 microM) to 33.8 micrograms/ml (154 microM), and estimates of mu max ranged from 0.20 h-1 (Td = 3.5 h) to 0.32 h-1 (Td = 2.2 h). Estimates of mu max, but not Ks, were affected by changes in initial inoculum density. Maximum growth rates (mu max) were also estimated from turbidity measurements. They ranged from 0.10 h-1 (Td = 6.9 h) to 1.0 h-1 (Td = 0.7 h). There was no correlation between estimates of mu max derived from substrate depletion curves and those derived from turbidity measurements (P = 0.20).