High-performance liquid chromatographic study of the aromatic nitrile metabolism in soil bacteria.

Simultaneous HPLC determination of bromoxynil, ioxynil and dichlobenil, three arylnitrile herbicides, and their metabolic products in soil extracts and microbiological media is described. Limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.56 to 3.97 ppb. Slight modification of the mobile phase composition allowed determination of 13 other aromatic nitriles. Assay of aromatic nitrile hydratase, amidase or nitrilase activities is possible by the method developed.