The effect of ferric iron [Fe(III)] on pyrene degradation and siderophore production was studied in Pseudomonas fluorescens 29L. In the presence of 0.5 mu M of Fe(III) and 50 mg of pyrene per liter of medium as a carbon source, 2.2 mg of pyrene was degraded per liter of medium per day and 25.3 mu M of 2,3-DHBA (2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid) equivalent of siderophores was produced per day. However, the pyrene degradation rate was 1.3 times higher and no siderophores were produced with the addition of 1 mu M of Fe(III). Similar trends were seen with 50 mg of succinate per liter of medium as a carbon source, although the growth of strain 29L and the succinate degradation rate were higher. In the absence of siderophore production, pyrene and succinate continued to be biodegraded. This indicates that Fe(III) and not siderophore production affects the hydrocarbon degradation rate. Only 18% of strain 29L mutants capable of growth on pyrene produced siderophores, while among the mutants capable of growth on succinate, only 10% produced siderophores. This indicates that siderophores are not required for pyrene biodegradation. Fe(III) enhances pyrene degradation in Pseudomonas fluorescens 29L but it may be utilized by mechanisms other than siderophores.