Carbon Isotope Fractionation during Metabolism of Lactate by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Abstract
SUMMARY: Lactate oxidation during sulphate and sulphite reduction by growing or resting Desulfovibrio desulfuricans resulted in an enrichment of 12C in the CO2 released and also in the cell carbon during growth. The enrichments observed varied between δ13C --5·5 to --12·8 %0. With sulphite as the oxidant, the fractionation appeared proportional to rate of metabolism of lactate; no definite rate effect on fractionation was suggested by the limited data obtained with sulphate as oxidant.