[Formation of primary alcohols and palmitic acid in the microbiological oxidation of hexadecane].

Forty seven microbial strains oxidized hexadecane to form primary cetol and palmitic acid. The maximum quantitiy of the compounds was accumulated in the exponential phase of growing cultures (for 72 hours) and for 6 to 16 hours of incubation of resting cell suspensions. Candida yeast were shown by the gas-liquid chromatography method to be the most active producers of cetol.