EFFECTS OF PH AND PHOSPHATE ON THE PRODUCTION OF STRUVITE BY MYXOCOCCUS-XANTHUS

We studied the influence of pH and the phosphate content of the cultur e medium on the precipitation of struvite by Myxococcus xanthus, a bac terium that undergoes autolysis at the end of its exponential growth p hase in liquid cultures. The best results were obtained with pH values between 7.2 and 8.0 and with a phosphate concentration of 10 mM. Our studies reveal for the first time that the precipitation of struvite a lways begins at the onset of autolysis and that culture conditions fav oring the early occurrence of autolysis also enhance struvite producti on.