Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sporicidal action of peracetic acid and protective effects of transition metal ions

  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology

Abstract

Although peracetic acid (PAA) is used widely for cold sterilization and disinfection, its mechanisms of sporicidal action are poorly understood. PAA at high concentrations (5–10%) can cause major loss of optical absorbance and microscopically-visible damage to bacterial spores. Spores killed by lower levels of PAA (0.02–0.05%) showed no visible damage and remained refractile. Treatment of spores ofBacillus megaterium ATCC 19213 with PAA at concentrations close to the lethal level sensitized the cells to subsequent heat killing. In addition, PAA was found to act in concert with hypochlorite and iodine to kill spores. Antioxidant sulfhydryl compounds or ascorbate protected spores against PAA killing. Trolox, a water-soluble form of α-tocopherol, was somewhat protective, while other antioxidants, including α-tocopherol, urate, bilirubin, ampicillin and ethanol were not protective. Chelators, including dipicolinate, were not protective, but transition metal ions, especially the reduced forms (Co2+, Cu+ and Fe2+) were highly protective. The net conclusions are that organic radicals formed from PAA are sporicidal and that they may act as reducing agents for spores that are normally in a highly oxidized state, in addition to their well known actions as oxidizing agents in causing damage to vegetative cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Akaike T, K Sato, S Ijiri, Y Miyamoto, M Kohno, M Ando and H Maeda. 1992. Bactericidal activity of alkyl peroxyl radicals generated by heme-iron-catalyzed decomposition of organic peroxides. Arch Biochem Biophys 294: 55–63.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Aronson AI and D Horn. 1972. Characterization of the spore coat protein ofBacillus cereus. In: Spores V (Halvorson HO, R Hanson and LL Campbell, eds), pp 19–27, American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Baldry MGC. 1983. The bactericidal, fungicidal and sporicidal properties of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid. J Appl Bacteriol 54: 417–423.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Beaman TC and P Gerhardt. 1986. Heat resistance of bacterial spores correlated with protoplast dehydration, mineralization, and thermal adaptation. Appl Environ Microbiol 52: 1242–1246.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bender GR and RE Marquis. 1985. Spore heat resistance and specific mineralization. Appl Environ Microbiol 50: 1414–1421.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Block SS. 1991. Peroxygen compounds. In: Disinfection, Sterilization and Preservation (Block SS, ed), pp 167–181, Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bloomfield SF and R Megid. 1994. Interaction of iodine withBacillus subtilis spores and spore forms. J Appl Bacteriol 76: 492–499.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Botzenhart K and R Jaax. 1985. Determination of the killing rate ofBacillus spores by peracetic acid. Zbl Bakt Hyg 181B: 139–150.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Buettner GR. 1993. The pecking order of free radicals and antioxidants: lipid peroxidation, alpha-tocopherol, and ascorbate. Arch Biochem Biophys 300: 535–543.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Clapp PA, MJ Davies, MS French and BC Gilbert. 1994. The bactericidal action of peroxides: an E.P.R. spin-trapping study. Free Rad Res 21: 147–167.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Curran HR, FR Evans and A Leviton. 1940. The sporicidal action of hydrogen peroxide and the use of crystalline catalase to dissipate residual peroxide. J Bacteriol 40: 423–434.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gerhardt P, R Scherrer and SH Black. 1972. Molecular sieving by dormant spores structures. In: Spores V (Halvorson HO, R Hanson and LL Campbell, eds), pp 68–74, American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Jones LA Jr, RK Hoffman and CR Phillips. 1967. Sporicidal activity of peracetic acid and β-propiolactone at subzero temperatures. Appl Microbiol 15: 357–362.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. King WL and GW Gould. 1969. Lysis of bacterial spores with hydrogen peroxide. J Appl Bacteriol 32: 481–490.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Leaper S. 1984. Synergistic killing of spores ofBacillus subtilis by peracetic acid and alcohol. J Food Technol 19: 695.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Löwik JAM and PJ Anema. 1972. Effect of pH on the heat resistance ofClostridium sporogenes spores in minced meat. J Appl Bacteriol 35: 119–121.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Marquis RE and GR Bender. 1985. Mineralization and heat resistance of bacterial spores. J Bacteriol 161: 789–791.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Peck MW, DA Fairbairn and BM Lund. 1993. Heat-resistance of spores of non-proteolyticClostridium botulinum estimated in medium containing lysozyme. Lett Appl Microbiol 16: 126–131.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pichorner H, G Jessner and R Ebermann. 1993. t-BOOH acts as a suicide substrate for catalase. Arch Biochem Biophys 300: 258–264.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Pryor WA. 1986. Oxy-radicals and related species: their formation, lifetimes and reactions. Annu Rev Physiol 48: 657–667.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Rodriguez-Montelongo L, LC de la Cruz-Rodriguez, RN Farías and EM Massa. 1993. Membrane-associated redox cycling of copper mediates hydroperoxide toxicity inEscherichia coli. Biochim Biophys Acta 1144: 77–84.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Setlow B and P Setlow. 1993. Binding of small, acid-soluble spore proteins to DNA plays a significant role in the resistance ofBacillus subtilis spores to hydrogen peroxide. Appl Environ Microbiol 59: 3418–3423.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Shin SY and RE Marquis. 1994. Sporicidal activity of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide. Arch Microbiol 161: 184–190.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Shin S-Y, EG Calvisi, TC Beaman, HS Pankratz, P Gerhardt and RE Marquis. 1994. Microscopic and thermal characterization of hydrogen peroxide killing and lysis of spores and protection by transitional metal ions, chelators, and antioxidants. Appl Environ Microbiol 60: 3192–3197.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Toledo RT, FE Escher and JC Ayres. 1973. Sporicidal properties of hydrogen peroxide against food spoliage organisms. Appl Microbiol 26: 592–597.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Wang P and HE Schellhorn. 1995. Induction of resistance to hydrogen peroxide and radiation inDeinococcus radiodurans. Can J Microbiol 41: 170–176.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. S Y Shin

    Present address: , 182-8 2ka Chungjung-10, Seodemun-ku, 120-012, Seoul, Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Box 672, 14642-8672, Rochester, NY, USA

    R E Marquis, G C Rutherford, M M Faraci & S Y Shin

Authors
  1. R E Marquis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G C Rutherford
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M M Faraci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S Y Shin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Marquis, R.E., Rutherford, G.C., Faraci, M.M. et al. Sporicidal action of peracetic acid and protective effects of transition metal ions. Journal of Industrial Microbiology 15, 486–492 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01570019

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01570019

Keywords

Search

Navigation