Isolation and characterization of sulfur oxidizing bacteria from cattle manure compost

Hydrogen sulfide causes offensive odors. We attempted to isolate sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB) from cattle manure compost. A most probable number assay could not detect SOB by using a Cha medium which had been applied in order to isolate the SOB from active sewage. Cultivation using a Cha plate medium revealed 5.75 × 10⁷ colony forming unit/g of bacteria. A single strain of SOB was isolated from a colony formed on the plates and identified as Halothiobacillus neapolitanus. This is the first report that H. neapolitanus has been found in cattle manure compost.