TRANSFORMATION OF DIMETHYL SULFIDE AND RELATED-COMPOUNDS BY CULTURES AND CELL-EXTRACTS OF MARINE-PHYTOPLANKTON

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was oxidized to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in cu ltures of five species of marine phytoplankton. Heat treatment (105 de grees C, 5 min) of such cultures rendered the oxidation more effective and the oxidation was stimulated by light. Tetrahydrothiophene was ox idized to tetramethylene sulfoxide by a heat-treated cultures of Dunal iella sp, Dimethyl disulfide was reduced to methyl mercaptan only by t he nonheated culture. Lyophilized cells of Dunaliella sp. and organic extracts of the cells and denaturalized chlorophyll a were also able t o oxidize DMS.