Carvalho, Maria F.Ferreira, Maria Isabel M.Moreira, Irina S.Castro, Paula M. L.Janssen, Dick B.2011-09-142011-09-142006"Applied and Environmental Microbiology". ISSN 0099-2240 72:11 (2006) 7413–7417http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/5518The aerobic metabolism of fluorobenzene by Rhizobiales sp. strain F11 was investigated. Liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry analysis showed that 4-fluorocatechol and catechol were formed as intermediates during fluorobenzene degradation by cell suspensions. Both these compounds, unlike 3-fluorocatechol, supported growth and oxygen uptake. Cells grown on fluorobenzene contained enzymes for the ortho pathway but not for meta ring cleavage of catechols. The results suggest that fluorobenzene is predominantly degraded via 4-fluorocatechol with subsequent ortho cleavage and also partially via catechol.engjournal article10.1128/AEM.01162-06