MOBILIZATION OF PHOSPHATE FROM INSOLUBLE COMPOUNDS UNDER THE ACTION OF SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA

Processes of orthophosphate mobilization from insoluble iron and calcium phosphates were studied during batch growth of an enrichment culture of sulfate-reducing bacteria and a pure culture of Desulfobacterium sp. strain 63. The rate of PO43- release by the enrichment culture was 31.4 - 60 mg PO43-/(1 day). The rate of phosphate mobilization from FePO4 by strain 63 was 0 - 148 mg PO43-/(1 day) on a medium with sulfate and 0 - 55.9 mg PO43-/(1 day) on a medium without sulfate. Orthophosphate release was the most active from Ca-3(PO4)(2) under the action of strain 63 in the absence of sulfate.