Abstract
Today in world practice the biotechnological methods of cleaning of environment from oil and oil products are widely used. They based on the use of microorganisms-destructors that are able to utilize hydrocarbons.The microbial object of the research was bacterial strain P. aeruginosa DS-26. This bacterial culture was isolated from sewage water of rubber industry. This strain was able to grow in a medium, which contained α-methylstyrene. This compound, which is widely used as an active component in many industries, has a strong toxic effect on living organisms including humans. Different types of microbial metabolism play an important role in the hydrocarbon degradation process in the environment Metabolism of α-methylstyrene by P. aeruginosa DS-26 characterized by variety and in depth of carried out transformations. The analysis of the obtained data allowed offering two ways of oxidation of α-methylstyrene. The first way, primary, was accompanied by formation of products of the direct hydroxylation of aromatic ring - cis-2.3-dihydroxy-1-isopropenyl-6-cyclohexene and 3-isopropyl-catehol which are later metabolized by meta-pathway with formation of keto-acids. The next, secondary pathway came true through oxidation of α-phenylpropionic acid and 4-methylbenzene alcohol with formation of acetophenone as a final product. There are many researches that are devoted to study biochemical conversion of oil hydrocarbons. In order to utilize specific compounds as the only one source of carbon, microorganisms have to actively maintain a specific system of enzymes. Investigation of α-methylstyrene degradation by P. aeruginosa DS26 enzymes has revealed specific enzymes that oxidize aromatic hydrocarbons. Investigation results of the studying strain enzymes can be confirmation of the proposed above scheme of primary α-methylstyrene metabolic pathway oxidized by P. aeruginosa DS-26.