尽管有迹象表明该化合物是自硫化物氧化的自养生物，但已从自养细菌的培养物中，特别是从亚硝酸盐类的亚硝酸盐氧化的自养细菌中分离出顺式-7-十六烯酸。顺式-7-十六碳烯酸可用于确定存在于多种自然环境中的细菌种群的特定属。 Cis-7-Hexadecenoic acid has been isolated from autotrophic bacterial cultures, specifically from nitrite-oxidizing autotrophic bacteria of the genus|Nitrospira|, though there are indications that this compound originates from a sulfide-oxidizing autotrophic organism. Cis-7-Hexadecenoic Acid may be useful for determining the specific genera of bacterial populations present in a variety of natural environments.