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RESPONSE OF CHEMOSTAT GROWN ENTERIC BACTERIA TO CHLORINE DIOXIDE
Citation:
Harakeh, M., J. Hoff, AND A. Matin. RESPONSE OF CHEMOSTAT GROWN ENTERIC BACTERIA TO CHLORINE DIOXIDE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/D-85/087.
Description:
The effect of antecedent growth conditions on the sensitivity of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Yersinia enterocolitica was investigated. The two organisms were grown in a defined medium supplemented with glucose either in the chemostat or in batch culture, and the influence of growth rate, temperature and cell density on the sensitivity was studied. All inactivation experiments were conducted using a dose of 0.25 mg/l chlorine dioxide in a phosphate buffer saline at pH 7.0 and 23 degrees C. Populations grown under conditions that resemble natural aquatic environments, e.g., low temperatures and growth at submaximal rates caused by nutrient limitation, were more resistant than those grown at higher temperatures and maximal rates as in batch culture. The conclusion from this study is that antecedent growth conditions have a profound effect on the susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobial agents and that batch grown bacteria may not provide a true indication of the sensitivity of natural populations to these agents.