THE FERMENTATION OF GLUCOSE BY CHLORELLA VULGARIS

Abstract

The fermentation products of C. vulgaris were principally acids; at pH 7 the fermentation of 1 mole of glucose yielded about 0.6 mole of lactic acid, 0.3 mole of gas, and little, if any, ethanol. The proportion of lactic acid increased at higher pH values. The gas produced during the fermentation was a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide in approximately equimolar proportions. During glucose fermentation, 10-15% of the added glucose was converted into polysaccharide. This, together with the known fermentation products, accounted for 71% of the glucose C that disappeared. Glucose was broken down more quickly aerobically than anaerobically, and a Pasteur effect was absent. 2,4-Dinitrophenol, though stimulating aerobic endogenous respiration, did not affect the rate of endogenous fermentation, nor did it induce aerobic fermentation.