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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1971 October; 22(4): 557-559
Copyright © 1971 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Thermal Inactivation of Aerosolized Bacillus subtilis var. niger Spores

Department of the Army, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21701

ABSTRACT

A hot-air sterilizer capable of exposing airborne microorganisms to elevated temperatures with an almost instantaneous heating time was developed and evaluated. With this apparatus, aerosolized Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores were killed in about 0.02 sec when exposed to temperatures above 260 C. This is about 500 times faster than killing times reported by others. Extrapolation and comparison of data on the time and temperature required to klll B. subtilis var. niger spores on surfaces show that approximately the same killing time is required as is necessary for spores in air, if corrections are made for the heating time of the surface.

¹ Present address: U.S. Army Biological Defense Research Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. 21010.