The isolation of fatty aldehydes from rumen-microbial lipid

Abstract

• 1.

  1. The isolation of fatty aldehydes (as 2,4-dinotrophenylhydrozones) from the bacterial fraction of rumen digesta is described.

• 2.

  2. Mixed rumen bacteria are a rich source of aldehydrogenic lipid as indicated by an aldehyde/phosphorus ration of 0.19 in the non-dialyzable lipid, and the yielding of 2.2. g of aldehyde (calculated as pentadecanal) per 100 g of total bacterial lipid.

• 3.

  3. The major bacterial aldehydes are palmitaldehyde and C₁₅ branched-chain aldehydes.

• 4.

  4. The aldehyde pattern of rumen bacteria is strikingly similar to the aldehyde patterns in certain ruminant lipids suggesting a possible origin of some ruminant aldehydes in the bacteria.