Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Bacteria by Gas Chromatography

Abstract

A gas chromatograph fitted with electron capture and flame ionization detectors was employed for the rapid detection of bacteria by analysis for their metabolic products. The presence of Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus faecalis, S. liquefaciens, Escherichia coli B, Bacillus cereus, and B. popilliae was detected in 2 to 4 hr in media inoculated with less than 104 cells per ml, whereas a 7to 12-hr growth period was required for the detection of products formed in cultures of Serratia marcescens, Aerobacter aerogenes, E. coli K-12, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium. Metabolites elaborated by the equivalent of less than a single cell of B. cereus, S. faecalis, P. vulgaris, or E. coli B were sensed by the electron capture detector. The flame ionization detector was generally not as sensitive. Volatile metabolites were identified, and their concentrations were determined.

Rapid Detection of Bacteremia in Mice by Gas Chromatography

“…Gas chromatographic conditions were essentially the same as described previously by Mitruka and Alexander (8). The operating temperatures were 110, 175, and 190 C for the column, detector, and injector, respectively.…”

“…Gas chromatography has been used for differentiation of microorganisms growing in vitro (3, 4,12,13). In previous studies, we have reported on the application of gas chromatographic techniques for the rapid and sensitive detection of viable bacteria and viruses (8,9). The electron capture detector, in particular, was found to be extremely sensitive for the detection of several microbial metabolites (7).…”

Cometabolism and Gas Chromatography for the Sensitive Detection of Bacteria

“…Solutions containing authentic chemical compounds and samples of the water and of the inoculated media were treated in an identical manner. The instrument and conditions for gas chromatography were essentially those employed previously (4,8). A 3.0-,liter sample containing the test substance was injected into the instrument, each detector thereby receiving 1.5 jliters.…”

“…Gas chromatographic techniques have been proposed for the rapid and sensitive detection of bacteria in view of the fact that certain common microbial metabolites can be detected in the nanogram and occasionally even in the picogram range with an electron capture detector (ECD) fitted on a chromatograph (7). Thus, the metabolites resulting from the activity of a few cells of certain species can be observed (8). Such procedures, however, fail to sense the products generated by low cell densities of other species, presumably because the metabolites excreted are not present in sufficiently high concentration or are not of the type sensitively detected by ECD.…”

Differentiation of Brucella canis from Other Brucellae by Gas Chromatography

“…A 3.0-,uliter sample was injected into the gas chromatograph. The chromatographic techniques were essentially the same as described previously (2).…”