Activated charcoal does not catalyze sucrose hydrolysis in tissue culture media during autoclaving

Abstract

Tissue culture media or aqueous sucrose solutions containing activated charcoal buffered to pH 5.5 and autoclaved did not undergo appreciable sucrose hydrolysis as reported. Rather, the extent of sucrose hydrolysis in media containing activated charcoal was found to be directly proportional to the hydrogen ion concentration (pH). This finding is consistent with the known mechanism of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of acetals such as sucrose. Several types of charcoal were identified that acidified culture media to the extent that considerable acid-catalyzed sucrose hydrolysis occurred under autoclave conditions, making it appear as though activated charcoal was responsible for catalyzing sucrose hydrolysis. A simple mathematical expression was empirically derived that can be used to predict the extent of sucrose hydrolysis based on the post-autoclave pH of the media.