Industrial and Environmental Activities of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

Abstract

Expansion of the bacterial group loosely termed sulfate reducers from two genera, Desulfovibrio and Desulfotomaculum, to at least ten new genera (Widdel and Pfennig, 1977, 1981a,b, 1982; Pfennig and Biebl, 1976, 1981; Pfennig et al., 1981) overturned long-established perceptions and practices within the industrial sector concerning the ecology, culture, and taxonomic diversity of this group. Many of the new isolates exibit fastidious nutritional requirements, long generation times, surprising oxygen tolerance, and utilize an expanded list of growth substrates. Consequently, confidence has been seriously eroded in our ability to accurately predict the threat that this diverse group of organisms poses to many industrial processes, and new emphasis has been placed on control and development of methods for determining their presence and type.