Bacterial Spores Remain Viable After Electrospray Charging and Desolvation

• Main Author: Pratt, Sara Nielson
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2013
• Subjects: electrospray; mass spectrometry; Bacillus subtilis; Biochemistry; Chemistry
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4048; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5047&context=etd

The electrospray survivability of B. subtilis spores and E. coli was tested in atmospheric mobility experiments. E. coli did not survive electrospray charging and desolvation, but B. subtilis did. Experimental conditions ensured that any surviving bacteria were charged, desolvated, and de-agglomerated. B. subtilis was also found to survive both positive and negative electrospray and subsequent introduction into vacuum conditions. Attempts were made to measure the charge distribution of viable B. subtilis spores using electrostatic deflection. From those experiments, it was found that either the spores do not become highly charged under the electrospray conditions used or only spores in a low positive or negative charge state survive.