Lipolytic bacteria in the Ottawa river

Appl Microbiol. 1973 Nov;26(5):733-40. doi: 10.1128/am.26.5.733-740.1973.

Abstract

Lipolytic bacteria were isolated from two stations on Brewery Creek, an arm of the Ottawa River, during the winter of 1971-72. Total counts were approximately sevenfold higher at the more polluted downstream station, whereas lipolytic counts were about 100-fold higher. At this station, significantly more lipolytic bacteria grew on plates incubated at 20 C than at 4 C, suggesting that the population was comprised of both mesophiles and psychrophiles. However, at the upstream station, approximately the same number were obtained at both temperatures. A total of 434 isolates, mainly from the downstream station, were tentatively classified. The major groups were Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter-Moraxella, and Aeromonas. Though the total number of lipolytic bacteria was fairly constant throughout the winter, the relative abundance of the acinetobacters dropped from approximately 90% in November to less than 10% in March, and then increased. The aeromonads and pseudomonads showed the opposite trend. Most of the bacteria, though isolated at 4 C, also grew at 30 C. Lipolysis, however, was generally strongest at 20 C or below.

MeSH terms

  • Aeromonas / isolation & purification
  • Alcaligenes / isolation & purification
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Canada
  • Catalase
  • Culture Media
  • Enterobacteriaceae / isolation & purification
  • Filtration
  • Gelatin / metabolism
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Hydrolysis
  • Lipid Metabolism*
  • Membranes
  • Moraxella / isolation & purification
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Pseudomonas / isolation & purification
  • Streptococcus / isolation & purification
  • Time Factors
  • Vibrio / isolation & purification
  • Water Microbiology*
  • Water Pollution*

Substances

  • Culture Media
  • Gelatin
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Catalase
  • Glucose