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The Maceration of Linen Flax under Anaerobic Conditions
Author(s) -
CHESSON A.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1978.tb04217.x
Subject(s) - hemicellulose , chemistry , cellulose , straw , pectinase , pectinesterase , food science , anaerobic bacteria , maceration (sewage) , fractionation , pectate lyase , pectin lyase , pith , botany , bacteria , horticulture , biology , biochemistry , chromatography , enzyme , inorganic chemistry , materials science , composite material , genetics
Ret tanks of 350 1 capacity, loaded with 14 kg of flax straw and maintained at 32°C. were sampled at regular intervals for 90 h. Total numbers of bacteria and viable anaerobes increased rapidly during the initial 16 h, reached a maximum at 22 h and then remained constant in the ret liquor. They continued to increase at a reduced rate within the flax straw. Dissolved oxygen content and pH of the ret liquor fell rapidly over the initial period while volatile fatty acids, ammonia and methanol accumulated. Xylanolytic and cellulolytic bacteria were detected in increasing numbers after 40 h. Pectinesterase (PE.EC. 3.1.1.11) was restricted largely to the flax straw where activity developed in parallel with microbial growth, reached a maximum at 22 h and rapidly declined thereafter. Polygalacturonase (PG.EC. 3.2.1.15/40) and pectate lyase (PAL.EC.4.2.2.1/2) activities developed after 16 h when soluble carbohydrates had been depleted. Higher levels of both activities were associated with the flax straw than with the ret liquor. PG predominated over PAL activity throughout. Other glycan hydrolyase activities were not detected. Fractionation and analysis of straw samples showed that 83% of pectic polyuronide present at the start of the ret was degraded by 70 h, whereas 16% of the hemicellulose and none of the cellulose was lost over the same period.