Studies on the Utilization of Hydrocarbons by Microorganisms

Part III. Production of Bacterial Cell from Hydrocarbons

抄録

The production of microbial cell substances from hydrocarbons has become the object of commercial attention. We have tested hydrocarbon-utilizing bacterial strains for cell production, and found out one strain of high cell yield, which is very similar to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The effect of medium composition on cell yield and the utilization of individual hydrocarbons by this strain were investigated. Sixty percent of the added kerosene was converted into cell materials in the following medium of optimum composition: kerosene 2.5%, urea 0.13%, dipotassium phosphate 0.25%, magnesium sulfate 7 aq. 0.1% and tap water. Aliphatic series lower than C₁₀, aromatic and naphthenic hydrocarbons were not or very slightly assimilated. However, aliphatic members higher than C₁₂ were utilized with increasing ease. Especially, n-docosane and octadecene-1 were utilized very effectively, and 70% of them were converted into cell substances.