Nitrocellulose degradation by a coculture ofSclerotium rolfsii andFusarium solani

Abstract

Aerobic degradation of nitrocellulose in submerged cultivation (31% in a 3-day period) was accomplished by a combination ofSclerotium rolfsii ATCC 24459 andFusarium solani IFO 31093. Evidence for the degradation includes a decrease in the nitrocellulose weight, an increase in the biomass weight, and reduction of the pH to 2.0. The extent of nitrocellulose biodegradation was probably limited by the low pH produced when the buffering capacity of the culture medium was exhausted.