Influence of Buffers and pH on the Thermal Destruction of Spores of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus polymyxa a

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

SUMMARY Spores of Bacillus megaterium 1A28 and B. polymyxa 1A39 were heated at 100°C in buffers adjusted to different pH values. Generally, recovery of survivors was greatest in the neutral zone. Variations in recovery of survivors were attributable to the organism, buffer constituents, and pH of the buffer system. Use of different phosphate salts had no influence on destruction; stability was greatest in a range of .005—.050 M phosphate. Citrate, phthalate, or ammonium ion in the buffer usually reduced heat resistance of the spores below that demonstrated in phosphate buffer.