THE FORMS OF CORRINOIDS IN THE METHANE FERMENTATION PRODUCTS OF DISTILLERS' WASTES : (I) INVESTIGATION ON THE SAMPLE FROM GOVERMENTAL DISTILLERIES IN CHIBA

Abstract

The forms of corrinoids were investigated in the thermophilic methane fermentation products of alcoholic distillers' wastes. The corrinoids were extracted from the dried sample by heating it in the presence of cyanide and purified by salting out with ammonium sulfate, followed by p-chlorophenol-chloroform extraction. The purified red corrinoid mixture was separated paper ionophoretically at pH 2.5 into two main fractions. Majority was the neutral fraction corresponding to about 85% of the total corrinoid, which was identified as B_<12>-factor III by means of paper ionophoresis at pH 11,paper chromatograhpy using three kinds of developers, spectrophotometry of the factor as well as its Ce (III)-decomposition product (nucleoside), and microbiological methods. The rest was cobinamide. The findings obtained from the investigation for the confirmation of the coenzyme form suggest the possibility of the presence as Co-methyl form of factor III.