Xenobiotics are often not homogeneously spread in the soil matrix. Chemotaxis enlarges the capacity of motile bacteria to sense low concentrations of essential nutrients. This ability directed towards a xenobiotic would be a characteristic of interest ofr pollutant degrading bacteria. This project will assess the existence of pollutant directed chemotaxis in micro- bial populations of contaminated soils using a novel isolation method, which selects on the basis of the capacity of environ- mental bacteria to exhibit pollutant directed chemotaxis rather than on the capacity to utilise the xenobiotic. The role of bio-availability on chemotaxis will be examined. The isolates will be characterized regarding phylogeny and genetics of the chemotaxis response and will be used in microcisms for bio- augmentation of polluted soils.