38 research outputs found

    Evidence for metabolic activity of airborne bacteria

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    Aerosols of the bacterium Serratia marcescens, and of uniformly labeled C-14 glucose were produced simultaneously and mixed in tubing leading to an aerosol chamber. During a subsequent period of about 5 hrs, carbon dioxide was produced metabolically within the chamber, and labeled material incorporated within the suspended particles first increased then decreased. This constitutes the first direct evidence of microbial metabolism of bacteria suspended in the air

    Release of bacterial spores from inner walls of a stainless steel cup subjected to thermal stress

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    In an earlier report thermal stresses, simulating those expected on a Mars Lander, dislodged approximately 0.01% of an aerosol deposited surface burden, as did a landing shock of 8-10 G deceleration. This work confirms earlier results and demonstrates that release rate is not dependent on surface burden

    A simple method for estimation of coagulation efficiency in mixed aerosols

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    Aerosols of KBr and AgNO3 were mixed, exposed to light in a glass tube and collected in the dark. About 15% of the collected material was reduced to silver upon development. Thus, two aerosols of particles that react to form a photo-reducible compound can be used to measure coagulation efficiency

    Possibility of growth of airborne microbes in the Jovian atmosphere

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    Efforts to show growth activity of anaerobic bacteria in aerosolized particles suspended in anaerobic gas (N2) are described. Evidence of spore generation in nitrogen was obtained. Results are discussed

    Studies on propagation of microbes in the airborne state

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    C-14 metabolic studies on an aerosol mixture of Escherichia coli and a coliphage are indicative of phage production

    Studies on possible propagation of microbial contamination in planetary atmospheres

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    Maintained aerosols were studied to demonstrate the metabolism and propagation of microbes in clouds which could occur in the course of a probe of a planetary atmosphere. Bacteriophage was used as a tool to test whether the mechanisms for DNA production remain intact and functional within the airborne bacterial cell. In one test method, bacteria were mixed with coliphage in an atomizer to allow attachment before aerosolization; in another, two suspensions were atomized saperately into a common air stream prior to aerosolization. Results show that biochemical and physiological mechanisms to allow aerobic microbes to propagate in the airborne state do exist

    Evidence for metabolic activity of airborne bacteria

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    Aerosols of the bacterium Serratia marcescens, and of uniformly labelled C-14 glucose, were created simultaneously and mixed in tubing leading to an aerosol chamber. During a subsequent period of about 5 hrs, C-14O2 was produced unequivocally within the chamber, and insoluble, labelled material within the suspended particles first increased, then decreased
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