Ninteen microorganisms have been evaluated for biotransformation of used sunflower oil to produce useful chemicals. Plamitic and stearic acids were produced by six microbes namely ; Streptomycis paucisporogenes ATCC 12596 Streptomycis griseus var. crizensis NRRL 3242, Hansenula anomala ATCC 20144, Candida intermedia ATCC, 12087, Candida intermedia ATCC, 5159 and Nocardia restrictus ATCC 14887.
Best yield was obtained with Streptomycis paucisporogenes. The produced fatty acids were isolated, purified by column chromatography and identified as their methyl esters by TLC, GC and by comparing their MS and NMR with authentic palmitic and stearic acids.