Sterilization of microorganisms with supercritical carbon dioxide

Masamichi Kamihira, Masayuki Taniguchi, Takeshi Kobayashi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

234 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The sterilizing effect of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-C02) is described as compared with aseous C02(G-C02) and liquid C02(L-C02). Baker’s yeast, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and conidia of Aspergillus niger were sterilized by treating with SC-C02 at 200 atm and 35°C when the water content of each microorganism was 70-90%. However, dry cells with a water content of 2 - 10% could not be sterilized under the same conditions. No sterilizing effect from SC- C02 on endospores of Bacillus subtilis and B. stearothermophilus was observed. G-C02 and L-C02produced no sterilizing effect against both wet and dry baker’s yeast cells, while wet E. coli cells were sterilized with G-C02. Although dry conidia of A. niger could not be sterilized with SC-C02alone, the addition of ethanol or acetic acid to SC-C02 made it possible to sterilize these. Without any decrease in their enzymatic activities, E. preparations were sterilized with SC-C02.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)407-412
Number of pages6
JournalAgricultural and Biological Chemistry
Volume51
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 1987
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
  • Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)

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