Changes in the composition of the bituminous components of valley peat under stimulated microbial action

Resumo

The stimulated microbial oxidation of valley peat by aboriginal microflora was experimentally studied for evaluating the participation of microflora in the conversion of organic matter in present-day swamp deposits. The esters of n-carboxylic acids, triphenyl phosphates, C₁₄–C₃₁n-alkanes, squalene, methyldehydroabietate, steroids, and pentacyclic terpenoids with the predominance of unsaturated structures mainly with the alcohol groups were identified in the composition of the bituminous components of microflora. It was found that the absolute concentrations of all of the identified groups of organic compounds in peat considerably decreased as a result of biodegradation. The relative concentrations of high-molecularweight (C₂₇–C₃₄) homologues and C₁₆–C₂₀ homologues predominant in bacteria in the composition of peat n-alkanes increased. Steroids and pentacyclic triterpenoids were enriched in unsaturated structures and compounds with the alcohol groups. Aldehydes disappeared from the composition of acyclic compounds. The fractions of palmitic acid derivatives in methyl ethers and isoprenoid structures in alkanones sharply increased.