o-Xylene is a member of the BTEX class of aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and XYLENES). The major use of o-xylene is in the manufacture of phthalic anhydride. A small amount is also used in solvent applications and to make bactericides, soybean herbicides and lubricating oils. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7772940|Jorgensen et al. (1995)] report, "The oxidation of o-xylene proceeded through o-methylbenzyl alcohol, o-methylbenzaldehyde, and o-methylbenzoate." o-Xylene removal depended on the simultaneous degradation of toluene. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1371658|Higson and Focht (1992)] reported that the degradation of 2-Methylbenzoate was utilized by Burkholderia cepacia MB2. The metabolism from 2-Methylbenzoate to 3-methylcatechol is through a proposed carboxy-hydrodiol compound by dioxygenation. Rhodococcus sp. strain YU6 is able to metabolize o-xylene via direct ring oxidation and meta-cleavage ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16145546|Jang et al., 2005]). The related m-Xylene and p-Xylene degradation pathways are also included in the EAWAG-BBD.