INFLUENCE OF INORGANIC ELECTRON-ACCEPTORS ON GROWTH AND HYDROCARBON SYNTHESIS BY SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA

Influence of sulfates, nitrates, and carbonates on growth and formatio n of extracellular hydrocarbons by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans B-1799 cultivated on organic substrate in atmosphere of H-2 + CO2. In good gr owth conditions sulfates inhibit hydrocarbon synthesis by sulfate redu cing bacteria due to CO2 reduction. Nitrates inhibit bacterial growth and hydrocarbon quantities are small. The bacteria grow worse on carbo nates-containing media, but the amount of extracellular hydrocarbons s harply increases. These results are comparable to those obtained for b acterial growth on organic substrate without sulfates in atmosphere of H-2 + CO2. Absence of competing with CO2 electron acceptors is essent ial for hydrocarbon synthesis by the sulfate reducing bacteria cultiva ted on organic substrate in atmosphere of H-2 + CO2.