PRODUCTION OF THE POTENT ODOR AGENT, ISOPROPYL METHOXYPYRAZINE, BY LYSOBACTER-ENZYMOGENES

Lysobacter enzymogenes, a common aquatic microorganism was isolated du ring the 1990 spring run-off from the North Saskatchewan River which s erves as the raw water supply for the City of Edmonton. Using gas-chro matography - mass spectroscopy and chromatographic sniffing, L. enzymo genes was shown to produce 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine. This finding suggests a possible role for L. enzymogenes in the production of must y-earthy odours that are common to spring run-off and that have normal ly been attributed to Actinomyces species.