Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1963 Aug;86(2):207–211. doi: 10.1128/jb.86.2.207-211.1963

EFFECT OF INORGANIC CATIONS ON BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY OF ANIONIC SURFACTANTS

J G Voss 1
PMCID: PMC278409  PMID: 14058942

Abstract

Voss, J. G. (Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio). Effect of inorganic cations on bactericidal activity of anionic surfactants. J. Bacteriol. 86:207–211. 1963.—The bactericidal effectiveness of two alkyl benzene sulfonates and of three other types of anionic surfactants against Staphylococcus aureus is increased in the presence of low concentrations of divalent cations, especially alkaline earths and metals of group IIB of the periodic table. The cations may act by decreasing the negative charge at the cell surface and increasing adsorption of the surfactant anions, leading to damage to the cytoplasmic membrane and death of the cell. Increased adsorption of surfactant is also found with Escherichia coli, but does not lead to death of the cell.

Full text

PDF
207

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Dyar M. T. Electrokinetical Studies on Bacterial Surfaces: II. Studies on Surface Lipids, Amphoteric Material, and Some Other Surface Properties. J Bacteriol. 1948 Dec;56(6):821–834. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Dyar M. T., Ordal E. J. Electrokinetic Studies on Bacterial Surfaces: I. Effects of Surface-active Agents on Electrophoretic Mobilities of Bacteria. J Bacteriol. 1946 Feb;51(2):149–167. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. GILBY A. R., FEW A. V. Lysis of protoplasts of Micrococcus lysodeikticus by ionic detergents. J Gen Microbiol. 1960 Aug;23:19–26. doi: 10.1099/00221287-23-1-19. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HARRIS J. O., EISENSTARK A., DRAGSDORF R. D. A study of the location of adsorbed mercuric ions in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1954 Dec;68(6):745–748. doi: 10.1128/jb.68.6.745-748.1954. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. LOVEDAY D. E., JAMES A. M. Relationship between the concentration of anionic surface-active agents and the electrophoretic mobility and viability of Aerobacter aerogenes. Nature. 1957 Nov 23;180(4595):1121–1122. doi: 10.1038/1801121a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. McCalla T. M. Cation Adsorption by Bacteria. J Bacteriol. 1940 Jul;40(1):23–32. doi: 10.1128/jb.40.1.23-32.1940. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES