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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1973 November; 26(5): 733-740
Copyright © 1973 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Lipolytic Bacteria in the Ottawa River

Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

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.