MICROBIOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION OF SYNNERITES

We have examined 66 microbial strains from different systematic groups for their ability to decompose synnerite. Micromycetes, yeasts, and h eterotrophic bacteria caused the release of silica, aluminum, and pota ssium into the solution to a different extent, as compared with the st erile control. Autotrophic bacteria (nitrifying and sulfur reducing), as well as certain species of the genus Bacillus, failed to decompose synnerite. The release of SiO2, Al2O3, and K2O into the solution, expr essed as a fraction of their initial content in the rock, was 17, 23, and 40% with the micromycetes, 7,5, 9, and 27% with the pseudomonads, and 7.5, 11.5, and 7.5% with the yeast, respectively. The synnerite el ements were leached to the greatest extent by Aspergillus niger, Rhizo pus arrhizus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Candida lipolytica, and Pseudom onas denitrificans. We established by x-ray analysis the A. niger and P. chrysogenum solubilized selectively the kalsilate of synnerite, whi ch was followed by the release of K, Al, and Si into the solution, lea ving microcline as the main component of the solid phase.