Establishment and characterization of an anaerobic thermophilic (55°C) enrichment culture degrading long-chain fatty acids

Abstract

A thermophilic, long-chain fatty acid-oxidizing culture was enriched. Stearate was used as the substrate, anti methane and carbon dioxide were the sole end products. Cultivation was possible only when a fed-batch system was used or with addition of activated carbon or bentonite. The enrichment culture consisted of a short rod and two bacteria antigenically related to Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum ΔH and Methanosarcina thermophila TM- 1.