Premium
The Self‐Protection of Escherichia Coli in Seawater
Author(s) -
FINDLAY J. S.,
CURRAN J. C.,
MILNE D. P.,
CROWTHER J. M.,
WALLIS S. G.,
WOOD B. J. B.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1990.tb01453.x
Subject(s) - escherichia coli , seawater , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , population , enteric bacteria , enterobacteriaceae , biology , chemistry , ecology , biochemistry , genetics , medicine , gene , environmental health
Many environmental variables are known to be involved in the inactivation processes affecting enteric bacteria in seawater. It is commonly believed that bacteria may attempt to reduce adverse effects by adhering together, thereby decreasing the surface area exposed to the hostile environment. This mechanism may be described as self‐protection and should enhance the survival of the bacterial population. Controlled laboratory experiments, epifluorescence microscopy, and Coulter counter analysis were used to examine and elucidate the inactivation mechanisms for the enteric bacterium E. coli. In general, the survival of E. coli was found to be enhanced with increasing initial cell concentration in the absence of any suspended solids.