Über die Oxydation des Wasserstoffs und der Kohlenwasserstoffe mittels Bakterien.

Abstract

H is oxidized by both Bacterium aliphaticum liquefaciens and a methane-oxidizing bacterium. Their action on the lower hydrocarbons differs. The former attacks the hydrocarbon chain at a definite point, since in the methane series only the chains containing 5 or more C atoms are broken. The olefines of 4 carbons or less, benzol, or benzol with short aliphatic side chains, are not metabolized. If the side chain is long enough, as in cetylbenzol, oxidation occurs. In contrast, the methane bacteria oxidize all of the paraffin hydrocarbons, propylene and butylene. Benzol and cyclohexane remain unchanged. The exps. with ethylene are inconclusive. The mechanism of the oxidation of H by bacteria was studied, using methylene blue as the H acceptor. Formation of unsaturated intermediary hydrocarbons is detected during the oxidation of hexanes. On the basis of these results, a theory of bacterial metabolism is presented.