Open AccessElectrochemical sterilization of bacteria adsorbed on granular activated carbon
Author(s) -
Matsunaga Tadashi,
Nakasono Satoshi,
Masuda Seiichi
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1992.tb05106.x
Subject(s) - bacteria , bacillus subtilis , adsorption , chemistry , sterilization (economics) , electrochemistry , escherichia coli , tap water , saturated calomel electrode , activated carbon , nuclear chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , electrode , biology , biochemistry , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , reference electrode , genetics , foreign exchange market , gene , monetary economics , economics , engineering , foreign exchange
The electrochemical sterilization of bacteria adsorbed on granular activated carbon (GAC) was demonstrated. The survival ratio of bacteria on GAC was dependent upon the applied potential. The survival ratio of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE) was below 1% at 0.75, 0.8, 1.0 and 0.65 V, respectively. The electrochemical sterilization of tap water containing E. coli was carried out when 3.5 ml of the cell suspension (4.0 × 10 2 cells/ml was incubated with 2.0 g of GAC for 5 h at 0.7 V vs. SCE. The number of E. coli adsorbed on GAC and the cell concentration in the water decreased rapidly. E. coli on GAC were electrochemically killed and the cell numbers did not increase.