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. 1980 Aug;40(2):179–185. doi: 10.1128/aem.40.2.179-185.1980

Comparison of Bacterial Extracellular Polymer Extraction Methods

Melanie J Brown 1, John N Lester 1
PMCID: PMC291550  PMID: 16345600

Abstract

Five different bacterial extracellular polymer extraction methods and a combination of two of these methods were compared on cultures of activated sludge, synthetic activated sludge, and Klebsiella aerogenes. High-speed centrifugation was the most effective extraction method for the K. aerogenes culture, based on the comparatively small amount of cell disruption and the relatively high extracellular polymer yield. Steaming treatment was the most effective extraction method for the activated sludges, since it released a significant quantity of extracellular polymers from the flocs and caused less cellular disruption than ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and sodium hydroxide treatments. Sodium hydroxide treatment caused extensive disruption in all cultures. Ultrasonication released low concentrations of extracellular polymers from all cultures. However, it caused no significant cell disruption and therefore may be useful as a preliminary treatment in conjunction with another extraction method.

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Selected References

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

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