biovirus04 at gmail.com wrote:
> Radium wrote:
>> > What odorous chemicals do anaerobic bacteria [excluding the
> > acetic-acid-producing bacteria] produce when they feed on ethanol in an
> > oxygen-free environment? What do these compounds' odors resemble?
>>> You aren't going to find many bacteria that break down EtOH, let alone
> in an oxygen-free environment. EtOH, in high enough concentrations, is
> extremely toxic. That's why I clean off my lab bench with 70% EtOH.
>> However, there is an organism called Clostridium kluyveri that breaks
> down EtOH anaerobically. It's the only one I know of that can break
> down EtOH, but I'm no expert on metabolism. The reaction that it
> carries out is:
>> EtOH + Acetate + CO2 --> Caproate + Butyrate + H2
>
> Caproate smells like goats. Butyrate smells like vomit.
What kinds of caproates and butyrates? Are you talking about caproic
acid and butryic acid? I doubt the "-ates" have odors of their own.
>> Since you have an interest in metabolism, you should look into reading
> Brock Biology of Microorganisms. They're now up to the 11th ed. The
> authors (whom I know personally) do a great job of covering metabolic
> diversity.
