A respirometric method based on carbon dioxide detection by titration for the evaluation of hazard compounds degradation is described. The mineralization of substrates has been done in a ''biometer flask'', a close system where athmospheric carbon dioxide contamination is avoided by the use of an Ascarite filter. Enrichment microbial cultures and strain isolation have been performed with particular techniques from different organic matter. Catabolic activities of some bacterial strains on degradation of naphthalene, phenanthrene, byphenil and nicotine have been tested by this respirometric method.
