Date of Award:

5-1-1967

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Biology

Department name when degree awarded

Bacteriology

Committee Chair(s)

W. Whitney Smith

Committee

W. Whitney Smith

Abstract

A bacterium reported to be indicative of human (or mammalian) fecal pollution is Type I (fecal coliform) Escherichia coli. Although this type may be isolated by use of elevated temperature (44.5 C), primary isolation without enrichment is difficult. Direct study without primary enrichment is possible with mFC Medium (Difeo), however, routine work in this laboratory yields poor results when mFC medium is compared with the standard EC elevated temperature technique. Using three strains of Type I E. coli, this study attempted to determine some reasons for the low recovery in mFC medium. The test organisms, preadapted to 37 C and 44.5 C on basal mFC without inhibitors, were cultured on mFC medium at 44.5 C. The 37 C-preadapted cells grow poorly or fail to grow on mFC at 44.5 C. This inhibition can apparently be overcome by preparing the medium for use by momentary heating to 100 C. At lower boiling points such as are encountered at higher elevations (Logan, Utah, 4779 feet) the medium appears to be more toxic with pure cultures of Type I E. coli.

Download

Share

COinS

Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .