Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is one of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are found in crude oil, coal tar and creosote. At 47% of waste sites containing these materials, BaP has been detected as a soil contaminant at concentrations up to 1300 ppb (Aspelin, A. L. & Grube, A. H., 2000, in Report 733-R-99 C001, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington, DC.). There is evidence for BaP carcinogenicity from animal tests, and it is classified as a compound that is probably carcinogenic to humans ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6835251|Georgian et al., 1983]). BaP degradation pathways have been studied in the Gram-positive bacteria Mycobacterium sp. RJGII-135M ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8572690|Schneider et al., 1996]), M. vanbaalenii ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14711661|Moody et al., 2004]), and the Gram-negative bacterium Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B8/36 (formerly Beijerinckia sp. strain B8/36) ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11423945|Gibson, 1999]). The pathways are initiated by mono- or di-oxygenation at different positions, followed by dehydration of the resulting dihydrodiols, and then oxidative cleavage, usually at the meta-position. Cleavage products are then decarboxylated to form chrysene derivatives. Sphingomonas sp. CHY-1 can grow on chrysene as its sole carbon and energy source ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15598525|Willison 2004]). M. vanbaalenni, in addition to cleaving the benzo(a)pyrene vic-diols formed by dehydration, can methylate their hydroxyl groups.