a gram - negative bacterial strain , pseudomonas putida tx2 , was isolated from farmland , which had received frequent applications of a various pesticides and surfactants . this strain was demonstrated to have the capacity to grow on alkylphenol polyethoxylates or alkylphenol as sole source of carbon and energy . the metabolic activity of this strain can be applied in the degradation of organic polymers containing ethoxylate units , alkylphenol and alkylphenol derivatives .