Degradation of dibenzothiophene by sulfate-reducing bacteria cultured in the presence of only nitrogen gas.
To remove sulfur compounds in petroleum, we isolated sulfate-reducing bacteria that could degrade dibenzothiophene in the presence of only nitrogen gas. Among the 19 strains isolated, some could grow in the presence of 10% (v/v) kerosene and of which two strains were identified as Desulfomicrobium escambium and Desulfovibrio longreachii. Gas chromatography of the ethyl-acetate extract of bacterial cultures, in which 10% or more of the dibenzothiophene initially present was degraded, gave five unknown peaks as the presumable degradation products. Thus, desulfurization of dibenzothiophene could be carried out without oxygen or hydrogen in a pathway different from the anaerobic one already reported, in which biphenyl is detected as the main product.
Onodera-Yamada
K
K
Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0101, Japan. onoderak@bs.aist-nara.ac.jp
Morimoto
M
M
Tani
Y
Y