Effect of butyric acid on the physiological activity of hydrocarbon-oxidizing rhodococci

Laboratory experiments showed that butyric acid not only fails to meet the trophic requirements of hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms, but even spec ifically inhibits their assimilatory and dissimilatory activity. Therefore, butyric acid can be referred to as growth inhibitors. The combined mineral ization of carbohydrates and hydrocarbons can be described as follows. Plan ts polymers are converted to monosugars by heterotrophic soil microorganism s. As the concentration of the monosugars grows and oxygen becomes deficien t, the monosugars are no longer oxidized completely but are fermented. As a result, glucose transforms to butyric acid, which inhibits hydrocarbon-oxi dizing bacteria. It is concluded that, to be efficient, the cleanup of oil- contaminated soils must include measures to intensify the mineralization of carbohydrates and to inhibit their fermentation.