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Title: Microbial synthesis of food from coal-derived materials. [15 refs]

Conference · · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7212396

Recent reports on the microbial production of protein from petroleum fractions for use as human or animal food supplements prompted studies on the feasibility of producing microbial protein from coal-derived materials. Growth yields of four species of the yeast Candida on several low temperature lignite tar and Fischer--Tropach synthetic liquid fuel fractiions were compared with yields obtained on a normal paraffin fraction derived from petroleum. It was found just as feasible technically to produce microbial food material from low temperature tar and Fischer--Tropsch fractions as from petroleum-derived paraffins. Growth yields were as high as 99.8% (Fischer--Tropsch fraction), 95.2% and 84.2% (two low temperature lignite tar fractions) of the yields obtained on the petroleum-derived paraffin fraction. Similar studies on producing microbial food from coal acids, nitric acid-oxidized anthracite, and a mixture of polynuclear hydrocarbons found in relatively large amounts in high temperature coal tar revealed that these substrates did not support the growth of yeasts. However, a number of bacterial cultures grow at the expense of these materials. Determinations of growth yields are in progress.

Research Organization:
Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh
OSTI ID:
7212396
Journal Information:
Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States), Vol. 9:4; Conference: American Chemical Society, 150th national meeting, Atlantic City, NJ, USA, 12 Sep 1965; Other Information: See CONF-650902--P3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English