Abstract
Simple quantitative tests were performed to assess the viability of bacteria cells during capillary electrophoretic process. The results have shown that Gram-negative E. coli cells were more sensitive to electric field treatment in comparison to Gram-positive S. aureus. In comparison to a reference sample (0 kV) only 3.4% and 0.7% of the E. coli cells survived the applied voltage treatment (20 kV and 30 kV, respectively). S. aureus strains were more resistant to the electric field: 33–35% and 10–30% survived voltage of 20 and 30 kV, respectively. Such significant differences can be attributed to different cell wall composition where more peptidoglycan layers present in Gram-positive cells make them more rigid and resistant to external conditions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was financially supported by the Nicolaus Copernicus University Grant No. 372-Ch and European Social Found, Polish National Budget, and the Kujawsko -Pomorskie Voivodship Budget – “Krok w przyszłość III 2010/2011.”