Premium
Resistance of Bacillus Spores to Combined Sporicidal Treatments
Author(s) -
Briggs A.,
Yazdany S.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1974.tb00486.x
Subject(s) - benzalkonium chloride , spore , sterilization (economics) , bacillus subtilis , endospore , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , heat resistance , geobacillus stearothermophilus , irradiation , food science , nuclear chemistry , chromatography , bacteria , biology , biochemistry , materials science , thermophile , enzyme , genetics , physics , composite material , monetary economics , nuclear physics , economics , foreign exchange market , foreign exchange
S ummary . Moist heat at 82° (100° for Bacillus stearothermophilus ) and solutions of 0.2% w/v chlorocresol or 0.01% w/v benzalkonium chloride at 24° separately showed no sporicidal activity against B. pumilis, B. stearothermophilus, B. subtilis and B. subtilis var. niger . Spores of the last organism were the most sensitive to γ radiation, the D value being 0.16 Mrad. Prior irradiation with a dose of 0.16 Mrad brought about only a slight increase in the sensitivity of the spores to moist heat. The presence of bactericide during irradiation did not affect radiation resistance. Inactivation rates were greater when the spores were heated in the presence of a bactericide than in aqueous suspension and benzalkonium chloride was more active than chlorocresol. Chlorocresol enhanced the heat activation of B. stearothermophilus at 100°. Irradiation in the presence of 0.2% w/v chlorocresol or 0.01% w/v benzalkonium chloride had no effect on the subsequent resistance of the spores when heated in the presence of these bactericides. It is concluded that it is unlikely that combinations of moist heat, radiation and bactericides, each less severe than when used in an accepted sterilization process, will lead to an alternative process which, while less damaging to the materials being sterilized, would still maintain the accepted standards of freedom from contamination.