PRODUCTION OF ANTIBACTERIAL SUBSTANCES FROM SULPHITE WASTE LIQUOR BY PENICILLIUM NOTATUM

Abstract

Sulphite waste liquor, boiled and aerated to remove sulphur dioxide, was found to serve as medium for growth of certain penicillin and notatin producing strains of Penicillium notatum, after suitable adjustment of reaction and addition of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Without added organic nutrients, or with supplementary sugar only, the antibacterial activity of the culture fluid is due largely to notatin production. A supplement of corn steep liquor has the effect of increasing penicillin and suppressing notatin formation, so that in the presence of added lactose the culture may assay as high as 30 Oxford units of penicillin per ml.Utilizing only the sugar present in the sulphite waste liquor one strain of P. notatum produced three Oxford units per ml. of culture, while additions of corn steep liquor gave values as high as 11 units, and together with bran, 15 units per ml. Though the results do not suggest the practical use of sulphite waste liquor for penicillin production, where crude culture fluids of highest potency are desired, they suggest the value of further study with micro-organisms capable of making use of energy now going to waste for the production of useful metabolic products.