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Hydrolytic and Fermentative Properties of Clostridium Species Isolated from Digesting Sludge
Author(s) -
COX D. J.
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.tb04221.x
Subject(s) - hydrolysis , fermentation , carbohydrate , butyric acid , chemistry , biochemistry , food science , clostridium , acetic acid , starch , valeric acid , bacteria , biology , genetics
Fifty cultures belonging to the genus Clostridium were isolated from digesting sewage sludge and some of their hydrolytic and fermentative properties studied. The isolates could be divided into four loosely defined groups. Organisms belonging to the first group possessed little or no hydrolytic properties but produced acetic and iso ‐valeric acids in media containing minimal amounts of carbohydrate. The second (largest) group produced butyric acid in carbohydrate and non‐carbohydrate media and were able to hydrolyse starch. The third group comprised non‐hydrolytic strains which fermented carbohydrate to butyric acid; acetic, iso ‐butyric and iso ‐valeric acids were produced in media containing no additional carbohydrate. The final group, proteolytic organisms, produced very large quantities of several iso ‐acids in non‐carbohydrate media. It is suggested that these organisms fulfil an important role in the ecosystem and that the properties described help to define that role.