Degradation of Azo Compounds by Aeromonas hydrophila var. 24B

A bacterium which has the ability to degrade azo dyes has been isolated from a polluted environment and identified as Aeromonas hydrophilia. The specificity of azo dyes to the bacterium was examined. p-Acetamidoazobenzene, p-aminoazobenzene, acetanilide, aniline and p-phenylenediamine, which are produced as metabolites, were also isolated.