Pseudomonas putida NCIMB 11767 oxidized phenol monochlorophenols, several dichlorophenols and a range of alkylbenzenes (C-1-C-6) via an inducible toluene dioxygenase enzyme system. Biphenyl and naphthalene were also oxidized by this enzyme. Growth on toluene and phenol induced the meta-ring-fission enzyme, catechol 2,3-oxygenase, whereas growth on benzoate, which did not require expression of toluene dioxygenase, induced the ortho-ring-cleavage enzyme, catechol 1,2-oxygenase. Monochlorobenzoate isomers and 2,3,5-trichlorophenol were gratuitous inducers of toluene dioxygenase, whereas 3,4-dichlorophenol was a fortuitous oxidation substrate of the enzyme. The organism also grew on 2,4- and 2,5-dichloro isomers of both phenol and benzoate, on 2,3,4-trichlorophenol and on 1-phenylheptane. During growth on toluene in nitrogen-limited chemostat culture, expression of both toluene dioxygenase and catechol 2,3-oxygenase was positively correlated with increase in specific growth rate (0.11-0.74 h(-1)), whereas the biomass yield coefficient decreased. At optimal dilution rates, the predicted performance of a 1-m(3) bioreactor supplied with Ig nitrogen 1(-1) for removal of toluene was 57 g day(-1) and for removal of trichloroethylene was 3.4 g day(-1). The work highlights the oxidative versatility of this bacterium with respect to substituted hydrocarbons and shows how growth rate influences the production of competent cells for potential use as bioremediation catalysts.