Metabolism of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole by Rhodococcus rhodochrous

Abstract

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole, which is mainly used in the rubber industry as a vulcanization accelerator, is very toxic and is considered to be recalcitrant. We show here for the first time that it can be biotransformed and partially mineralized by a pure-culture bacterial strain of Rhodococcus rhodochrous. Three metabolites, among four detected, were identified.