Interactions of thiophenes and acidophilic, thermophilic bacteria

The growth and oxygen consumption of a variety of thermophilic, acidophilic bacteria in the presence of thiophene-2-carboxylate (T2C) and dibenzothiophene (DBT) have been determined. T2C was extremely toxic to the acidophiles in comparison with neutrophiles, but appeared to be degraded by a heterotrophicSulfolobus- likethermophile. DBT proved to be unstable at high temperatures, even in the absence of bacteria, and was not a substrate for the thermophiles.