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A SYSTEMATIC COMPARISON OF THE ELECTROKINETIC PROPERTIES OF ENVIRONMENTALLY IMPORTANT MICROORGANISMS IN WATER
Citation:
Lytle*, D A., C H. Johnson*, AND E W. Rice*. A SYSTEMATIC COMPARISON OF THE ELECTROKINETIC PROPERTIES OF ENVIRONMENTALLY IMPORTANT MICROORGANISMS IN WATER. Brash, J.L. (ed.), JOURNAL OF COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B: BIOINTERFACES. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 24(2):91-101, (2002).
Description:
The surface charge of microorganisms is an important factor controlling their stability in aqueous environments and removal during water tretment practices. The electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of a number of environmentally important microorganisms in phosphate buffers was measured. The effect of pH, ionic strength, and cation type (valence) and cation concentration on the EPM was investigated. The results showed that microorganisms have significantly different charge properties in water. The surface charge of all microorganisms was impacted by pH, ionic strength and ionic make-up of the water. As a result, direct comparisons of reported surface charge values should be approached with caution. Increasing the pH increased the EPM in the negative direction. Increasing the ionic strength of the suspension by increasing the phosphate buffer concentration or adding simple salts generally decreased the EPM. The EPM was more neutral as the valence state of the cation in the salt increased.