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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1961 November; 9(6): 534-537

An Evaluation of ß-Propiolactone for the Sterilization of Fermentation Media¹

Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts

ABSTRACT

Twenty-five bacterial species were cultured in basal broth plus 1 of 19 different carbohydrates which were sterilized by Seitz filtration, autoclaving (112 C, 10 min), or exposure to 0.2% ß-propiolactone (BPL). No significant differences were found either in the visual observations for acid and gas, pH, or titrable acidity determinations after 3 days of incubation with any of the three preparations tested. An effort was made to further determine the effect of BPL and heat on carbohydrates by assaying for glucose before and after treatment. Results indicated that glucose was not degraded by 0.2% BPL, however, it was shown that autoclave temperatures caused extensive degradation. Statistical treatment of the results from Warburg studies indicated that BPL-treated glucose showed no appreciable toxic effects, although the actual oxygen uptake was not as great as with Seitz- or autoclave-treated glucose. The application of the BPL sterilization process was discussed.

¹ Contribution no. 1299 of the University of Massachusetts, College of Agriculture Experiment Station.