ABSTRACT There is currently no data available on the vitamin B12 content of biofertilizers containing purple photosynthetic bacteria or whether these biofertilizers contain “true B12” or inactive corrinoid compounds (or both). Therefore, we tested the vitamin B12 content of three commercially available biofertilizers containing purple photosynthetic bacteria. No or traces of vitamin B12 were found in two of the biofertilizers (A and B) tested, while the third (C) contained a considerable amount (53.5 µg/L). To evaluate whether biofertilizer C actually contained vitamin B12 or other corrinoids inactive in humans, the extracted compounds were purified using an immunoaffinity column and then identified as vitamin B12 (main) and/or inactive corrinoids (minor, Factor III) using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS).
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