Microbiological Studies on the Decomposition of Chitin in Marine Environment-III

Abstract

Chitin decomposing experiments were designed at conditions as much as possible similar to the natural conditions prevailing in the sea. The rate of chitin decomposition varied little with the species of chitinoclastic bacteria isolated (5 type strains). The rate of decomposition obtained was about 30 mg-chitin/day/10¹⁰ bacteria. The decomposition of chitin strips that are found in the ocean, as ecdysis and corpse of plank-tonic crustaceans, was 27 mg/day/g-chitin. The activities of chitinoclastic bacteria, isolated from the surface of the sea at Aburatsubo Inlet, were affected by a hydrostatic pressure of 200 atm. A. pressure of 200 atm at 25°C inhibit the activities of the chitinoclastic bacteria, however, even a pressure of 600 atm does not kill the bacteria.