MICROBIAL
SURVIVAL
In order
for any attempted
bioremediation
project to
result in
success, the
bacterial
population
being employed
must remain
alive and
multiply in
the site matrix.
Survival,
or viability,
of the workforce
is simply
mandatory.
Obviously,
many parameters
are of importance
to microbes.
Simply stated,
biotreatability
testing will
show whether
or not desired
results can
be obtained.
Microbiologists
have long
known that
counting colonies
on agar plates
is not a reliable
method of
estimating
the total
number of
microbes in
a sample.
There are
simply too
many variables
that limit
this method.
It can be
clearly seen
from microscopic
analysis that
there are
many bacteria
that just
do not grow
under a given
set of circumstances.
Sometimes
only a small
percentage
of microbes
present in
a sample will
form colonies;
the others
appear to
be in some
form of dormant
state. Those
organisms
that are visible
can sometimes
be stimulated
to grow colonies
and sometimes
they can't.
Thus, the
claim for
great numbers
of microbes
in a commercial
product in
itself are
meaningless.
The important
information
comes from
viability
testing of
specific degraders
in the site-specific
soil or groundwater,
which is what
we at United-Tech,
Inc. do to
determine
what microorganisms
to include
in our formulas.
United-Tech,
Inc.'s microbes
can survive
long periods
of harsh environment
through the
mechanism
of endospore
formation.
Whenever stress
pressure is
sufficient
on these microbes
(as occurs
in periods
of drought,
starvation,
etc.), metabolism
rates fall
to a point
where sporulation
is triggered.
This causes
the microbe
to expel excess
water and
cell contents,
concentrate
genetic material,
and form an
encapsulated
envelope which
is impervious
to the outside
conditions.
In this spore
form, the
organism is
dormant and
does not metabolize,
respire, or
reproduce.
It simply
rests and
waits for
favorable
environmental
conditions
for germination.
Spores can
withstand
considerable
trauma over
long periods
of time including
heating, desiccation,
freezing,
toxins, and
high salt
environments.
When desiccated
to dryness,
spores remain
viable for
centuries,
and possibly
millennia.
In addition,
they become
much more
resistant
to radiation
and toxic
chemicals.
It is due
to this ability
to form spores
and resting
stages that
United-Tech,
Inc.'s microbes
can survive
severe conditions.
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