Specific freshwater sediments–sapropel (gyttja, dy)–are formed from the remains of water plants, plankton and benthic organisms which are transformed under the influence of microorganisms and mixed with mineral components supplied from the lake basin. Mainly due to the high content of organic matter sapropel is widely applicable in agriculture, horticulture and forestry as a soil fertilizer and soil amendment, as well it has a potential to be used in chemical and medical industries. Microbial community analysis of sapropel can reveal opportunities for wider use of this natural material and its behaviour under different conditions. The aim of this study was to compare the concentration of cultivable microorganisms and their catabolic diversity in the samples of freshwater sapropel. Sapropel samples of different type (peaty, cyanobacteria, green algae, carbonatic and organic-sandy) were derived from four lakes in