Combination of high‐frequency ultrasound and UV radiation of excilamp for surface disinfection

The combination of high‐frequency ultrasound (HFUS) and UV represents a new approach to disinfecting surfaces. This study aimed to examine the inactivation efficiency of HFUS (1.7 MHz) and monochromatic UV radiation of KrCl excilamp (222 nm) in a single and a sequential mode against Bacillus cereus cells and spores added to glass surfaces. When treated by UV only, cells at populations of 10³, 10⁴, and 10⁵ colony‐forming units (CFU)/cm² showed 100% disinfection at high doses up to 1760 mJ/cm². Spores at 10⁴ CFU/cm² were completely inactivated at a dose of 1170 mJ/cm². Treatment with aqueous aerosol (produced by HFUS) reduced cell counts by 100% within a 40‐min exposure, whereas it was ineffective in inactivating spores under these conditions. In a sequential mode, the contaminated surface was pretreated with the sonicated aqueous aerosol and subsequently irradiated with the excilamp. It was found that HFUS exposure times and UV doses for complete inactivation decreased by a factor of 2 and 6–7, respectively, compared to sole HFUS or UV. A portable apparatus for surface disinfection was designed. The combined HFUS/UV method may be a promising technique for rapid disinfection of microbially contaminated surfaces.     

A Comparative Study of the Bactericidal Activity and Daily Disinfection Housekeeping Surfaces by a New Portable Pulsed UV Radiation Device

Daily cleaning and disinfecting of non-critical surfaces in the patient-care areas are known to reduce the occurrence of health care-associated infections. However, the conventional means for decontamination of housekeeping surfaces of sites of frequent hand contact such as manual disinfection using ethanol wipes are laborious and time-consuming in daily practice. This study evaluated a newly developed portable pulsed ultraviolet (UV) radiation device for its bactericidal activity in comparison with continuous UV-C, and investigated its effect on the labor burden when implemented in a hospital ward. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Amikacin and Ciprofloxacin-resistant A. baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Bacillus cereus were irradiated with pulsed UV or continuous UV-C. Pulsed UV and continuous UV-C required 5 and 30 s of irradiation, respectively, to attain bactericidal activity with more than 2Log growth inhibition of all the species. The use of pulsed UV in daily disinfection of housekeeping surfaces reduced the working hours by half in comparison to manual disinfection using ethanol wipes. The new portable pulsed UV radiation device was proven to have a bactericidal activity against critical nosocomial bacteria, including antimicrobial-resistant bacteria after short irradiation, and was thus found to be practical as a method for disinfecting housekeeping surfaces and decreasing the labor burden.     

Killing bacteria present on surfaces in films or in droplets using microwave UV lamps

The killing of bacteria on surfaces by two types of UV sources generated by microwave radiation is described. In both cases, UV radiation is produced by gas-discharge electrodeless lamps (Ar/Hg) excited by microwaves generated by a power supply from a standard domestic microwave oven. For UV lamp excitation, one of these sources makes use of a coaxial line with a truncated outer electrode that allows the excitation of gases and gaseous mixtures over a wide range of pressures at a comparatively low microwave power. In the second source, UV lamps are placed inside a microwave oven. Ultraviolet generated by the two sources was used to destroy vegetative Escherichia coli bacteria dispersed in thin films and in droplets on surfaces. Two types of UV lamps were used in the study. The first was constructed of quartz that filtered UV below 200 nm preventing the dissociation of oxygen in air and, hence, ozone production. The second type of tube was transparent to UV below 200 nm facilitating ozone production in air surrounding it. It was shown that bacterial cells dispersed in films on surfaces are killed more rapidly than cells present in droplets when using the lamps producing ozone and UV radiation. The UV sources described can effect rapid killing and constitute a cost-effective treatment of food and other surfaces, and, the destruction of airborne viruses and bacteria. The lamps can also be utilised for the rapid eradication of microorganisms in liquids.     

Determination of the effectiveness of UV radiation as a means of disinfection of metalworking fluids

Microbial contamination of metalworking fluids (MWFs) causes biofouling and degradation and is also associated with several health hazards. Development of an effective control method is therefore essential to reduce microbial loading in MWFs. The present study investigated the efficacy and rapidity of UV radiation as a means of disinfection of MWFs under laboratory conditions to determine parameters that could be used to design an in-line UV reactor for enclosed machines. High and low concentrations (10⁴–10⁷ CFU/mL) of three indicator bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. oleovorans subsp. lubricantis and Mycobacterium chelonae, were evaluated both as pure cultures and in combinations. The target organisms were irradiated with a high intensity (192 μW/cm², 55 W) UV lamp for different exposure time under both static and mixed conditions. For these Pseudomonas species with high concentrations of cells under static conditions, only a 56 % reduction was observed within 10 min of exposure, whereas under mixed condition, a 99 % reduction was achieved within 2 min of exposure. In contrast only 74 % reduction was observed for M. chelonae. However, with low concentrations of cells under mixed conditions, a 99.99 % and 82 % reduction in viable count was observed for the Pseudomonas sp. and M. chelonae, respectively. Similar results were observed for mixed culture combinations. Based on these observations high intensity UV in combination with mixing could be successfully used as a means of disinfection of MWFs within a short exposure time and the parameters obtained from the study could be implemented to design a plug flow UV reactor.     

Efficiency of KrCl excilamp (222 nm) for inactivation of bacteria in suspension

Aims: To examine the killing efficiency of UV KrCl excilamp against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. Methods and Results: Vegetative cells of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes at initial populations from 10² to 10⁷ colony‐forming units (CFU) ml^?1 were treated by KrCl excilamp in sterile Ringer’s solution with and without H₂O₂. The number of viable cells was determined using spread plating techniques and nutrient agar method with subsequent incubation at 28°C or 37°C for 24 h. At estimated populations of 10²–10⁵ CFU ml^?1E. coli O157:H7 and Staph. aureus were the most sensitive and showed 100% disinfection within 15 s (29·2 mJ cm^?2). Bacillus subtilis was more sensitive to UV treatment than B. cereus. The UV/H₂O₂ inactivation rate coefficients within this population range were two times higher than those observed for UV treatment alone. No effect of H₂O₂ was observed at 10⁷ CFU ml^?1 for Bacillus sp. and Strep. pyogenes. Conclusions: The narrow‐band UV radiation at 222 nm was effective in the rapid disinfection of bacteria in aqueous suspensions. Significance and Impact of the Study: KrCl excilamps represent UV sources which can be applied for disinfection of drinking water in advanced oxidation processes.     

Disinfection and hygiene in the veterinary field and disinfection of animal houses and transport vehicles

Disinfection in animal houses means always a combination between cleaning and disinfection because the high amount of organic material present in such an environment will neutralize rapidly each disinfectant brought to the surface if no cleaning step had been done before. Depending on the kind of material, cleaning gives a 3 log reduction of total bacterial count on the surface and disinfection another 3 log reduction. This means that under practical conditions generally 10³ cfu of bacteria remain per cm² of surface, mostly sporeformers. The choice of disinfectant depends on the purpose of disinfection. In the case of notifiable diseases, it must be active against a defined pathogen. In the case of prophylactic disinfection, it must be active against a broad spectrum of microorganisms.Only disinfectants which are tested for their activity on surfaces which are representative for animal houses e.g. wood should be used, otherwise the failure under practical conditions can be predicted and work, as well as money, will be wasted. The optimal temperature for the liquids used in cleaning and disinfection is 40°C and the optimal temperature of surfaces is 20°C. Colder surfaces require higher concentrations of active substances in the solution, below 10°C the effect of practical disinfection is incomplete. Low air humidity and high air velocity have a negative influence on the action of most disinfectants on surfaces. The amount of disinfectant necessary to disinfect a surface in an animal house is at least 0.4 l/m². Transport vehicles are very difficult to disinfect, especially in winter-time. They should be cleaned with hot water, the remaining liquid should be removed by a suitable vacuum cleaner and the concentration of the disinfectant should be elevated at least for the factor 3. Mechanic action will improve the disinfecting effect in vehicles as well as preliminary disinfection prior cleaning.     

The response of aggregated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas putida</Emphasis> CP1 cells to UV-C and UV-A/B disinfection

UV radiation is a spread method used worldwide for the disinfection of water. However, much of the research on the disinfection of bacterial cells by UV has focused on planktonic cells. Many bacterial cells in nature are present in clumps or aggregates, and these aggregates, which are more resistant to disinfection than their planktonic counterparts, can be problematic in engineered water systems. The current research used Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) CP1, an environmental and non-pathogenic microorganism which autoaggregates when grown under certain conditions, as a model organism to simulate aggregated cells. The study investigated the response of both the planktonic and the aggregated forms of the bacterium to UV-C (λ = 253.7 nm) and UV-A/B (λ > 300 nm) disinfection at laboratory scale in a minimal medium. The planktonic cells of P. putida CP1 were inactivated within 60 s by UV-C and in 60 min by UV-A/B; however, the aggregated cells required 120 min of UV-C treatment and 240 min of UV-A/B radiation to become inactive. The size of the aggregate was reduced following UV treatment. Although all the cells had lost culturability, viability as measured by the LIVE/DEAD^® stain and epifluorescence microscopy was not completely lost and the cells all demonstrated regrowth after overnight incubation in the dark.     

Immunological detection of UV induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and (6-4) photoproducts in DNA from reference bacteria and natural aquatic populations

UV light-caused DNA damage is a widespread field of study. As UV light has the biological effect of inactivating or killing bacteria, it is used for water disinfection. Due to this application, it is important to study the DNA damage efficiencies and regeneration capacities in bacteria after UV irradiation. Two monoclonal antibodies, anti-CPD and anti-(6-4) PP, were applied for an immunoassay of UV-induced DNA modifications. Cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and 6-4 photoproduct (6-4 PP) were detected in the reference bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecium, and in natural water communities. The antibody-mediated detection signals increased with the UV doses from 100-400 J/m². Here, the CPD-specific signals were stronger than the (6-4) PP-specific signals. These immunological results were in accordance with parallel cultivation experiments. All UV-irradiated bacteria showed a reduction of their growth rate depending on UV application by several orders of magnitudes.The immunoassay was also applied to three types of natural aquatic habitats with different cell densities. Besides artificial UV irradiation, it was possible to visualize natural sunlight effects on these natural bacterial communities. Light-dependent and dark repair processes were distinguished using the established immunological assays. The antibody-mediated analyses presented are fast methods to detect UV-induced DNA lesions and repair capacities in selected bacterial species as well as in entire natural mixed populations.     

Analysis of Bacterial Detachment from Substratum Surfaces by the Passage of Air-Liquid Interfaces

A theoretical analysis of the detachment of bacteria adhering to substratum surfaces upon the passage of an air-liquid interface is given, together with experimental results for bacterial detachment in the absence and presence of a conditioning film on different substratum surfaces. Bacteria (Streptococcus sobrinus HG1025, Streptococcus oralis J22, Actinomyces naeslundii T14V-J1, Bacteroides fragilis 793E, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 974K) were first allowed to adhere to hydrophilic glass and hydrophobic dimethyldichlorosilane (DDS)-coated glass in a parallel-plate flow chamber until a density of 4 × 10⁶ cells cm⁻² was reached. For S. sobrinus HG1025, S. oralis J22, and A. naeslundii T14V-J1, the conditioning film consisted of adsorbed salivary components, while for B. fragilis 793E and P. aeruginosa 974K, the film consisted of adsorbed human plasma components. Subsequently, air bubbles were passed through the flow chamber and the bacterial detachment percentages were measured. For some experimental conditions, like with P. aeruginosa 974K adhering to DDS-coated glass and an air bubble moving at high velocity (i.e., 13.6 mm s⁻¹), no bacteria detached upon passage of an air-liquid interface, while for others, detachment percentages between 80 and 90% were observed. The detachment percentage increased when the velocity of the passing air bubble decreased, regardless of the bacterial strain and substratum surface hydrophobicity involved. However, the variation in percentages of detachment by a passing air bubble depended greatly upon the strain and substratum surface involved. At low air bubble velocities the hydrophobicity of the substratum had no influence on the detachment, but at high air bubble velocities all bacterial strains were more efficiently detached from hydrophilic glass substrata. Furthermore, the presence of a conditioning film could either inhibit or stimulate detachment. The shape of the bacterial cell played a major role in detachment at high air bubble velocities, and spherical strains (i.e., streptococci) detached more efficiently than rod-shaped organisms. The present results demonstrate that methodologies to study bacterial adhesion which include contact with a moving air-liquid interface (i.e., rinsing and dipping) yield detachment of an unpredictable number of adhering microorganisms. Hence, results of studies based on such methodologies should be referred as “bacterial retention” rather than “bacterial adhesion”.     

Spatial distribution,size structure,and prey of Craspedacusta sowerbyi Lankester in a shallow New Zealand lake

Solar ultraviolet radiation both degrades and alters the quality of natural organic matter as well as organic pollutants in surface waters. Still, it is only recently that this indirect influence of photochemical processes on aquatic organisms (e.g. bacteria) has received attention. We experimentally studied the photochemical degradation of three PAHs; anthracene, phenanthrene and naphthalene, in water. Anthracene and phenanthrene were rapidly photodegraded (half-lives of 1 and 20.4 hours, respectively), while the photochemical half-life of naphthalene exceeded 100 hours. Hence photodegradation is most likely a less important removal mechanism for the latter compound. The influence of humic substance additions (0–25 mg C l^–1) on degradation rates was also assessed, and while photodegradation of anthracene was not affected by these additions, phenanthrene photodegradation slowed down considerably at the higher humic substance concentrations. These differential responses of anthracene and phenanthrene can at least partially be explained by differences in the spectral absorbance of the two compounds. In contrast, ionic strength did not have any appreciable effect on the estimated photodegradation rates of either compound. The influence of PAHs on growth of aquatic bacteria was assessed in dilution cultures with and without exposure to PAHs and simulated solar UV radiation. Separately, neither PAHs nor simulated solar UV radiation had any effect on bacterial growth. However, when combined, a marked inhibition of bacterial growth could be observed in water obtained from a clearwater lake. This could be due to the formation of toxic photodegradation products such as quinones (detected in our incubations) or other reactive species that affect bacteria negatively. Hence, in addition to influencing the fate and persistence of PAHs in aquatic systems, solar radiation and natural organic matter and regulate the toxicity of these compounds to indigenous micro-organisms.     

Contact-free cold atmospheric plasma treatment of Deinococcus radiodurans

In this study we investigated the sensitivity of Deinococcus radiodurans to contact-free cold atmospheric plasma treatment as part of a project to establish new efficient procedures for disinfection of inanimate surfaces. The Gram-positive D.?radiodurans is one of the most resistant microorganisms worldwide. Stationary phases of D.?radiodurans were exposed to cold atmospheric plasma for different time intervals or to ultraviolet?C (UVC) radiation at dose rates of 0.001-0.0656?J?cm(-2), respectively. A methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain (MRSA) served as control for Gram-positive bacteria. The surface microdischarge plasma technology was used for generation of cold atmospheric plasma. A plasma discharge was ignited using ambient air. Surprisingly, D.?radiodurans was sensitive to the cold atmospheric plasma treatment in the same range as the MRSA strain. Survival of both bacteria decreased with increasing plasma exposure times up to 6 log(10) cycles (>99.999?%) within 20?s of plasma treatment. In contrast, UVC radiation of both bacteria demonstrated that D.?radiodurans was more resistant to UVC treatment than MRSA. Cold atmospheric plasma seems to be a promising tool for industrial and clinical purposes where time-saving is a critical point to achieve efficient disinfection of inanimate surfaces and where protection from corrosive materials is needed.     

Influence of meteorological factors on the level and characteristics of culturable bacteria in the air in Gliwice,Upper Silesia (Poland)

Numerous studies have focused on occupational and indoor environments because people spend more than 90% of their time in them. Nevertheless, air is the main source of bacteria in indoors, and outdoor exposure is also crucial. Worldwide studies have indicated that bacterial concentrations vary among different types of outdoor environments, with considerable seasonal variations as well. Conducting comprehensive monitoring of atmospheric aerosol concentrations is very important not only for environmental management but also for the assessment of the health impacts of air pollution. To our knowledge, this is the first study to present outdoor and seasonal changes of bioaerosol data regarding an urban area of Poland. This study aimed to characterize culturable bacteria populations present in outdoor air in Gliwice, Upper Silesia Region, Poland, over the course of four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) through quantification and identification procedures. In this study, the samples of bioaerosol were collected using a six-stage Andersen cascade impactor (with aerodynamic cut-off diameters of 7.0, 4.7, 3.3, 2.1, 1.1 and 0.65 μm). Results showed that the concentration of airborne bacteria ranged from 4 CFU m^?3, measured on one winter day, to a maximum equal to 669 CFU m^?3 on a spring day. The average size of culturable bacterial aerosol over the study period was 199 CFU m^?3. The maximal seasonally averaged concentration was found in the spring season and reached 306 CFU m^?3, and the minimal seasonally averaged concentration was found in the winter 49 CFU m^?3. The most prevalent bacteria found outdoors were gram-positive rods that form endospores. Statistically, the most important meteorological factors related to the viability of airborne bacteria were temperature and UV radiation. These results may contribute to the promotion and implementation of preventative public health programmes and the formulation of recommendations aimed at providing healthier outdoor environments.     

Bacterial Growth on Photochemically Transformed Leachates from Aquatic and Terrestrial Primary Producers

Abstract We measured bacterial growth on phototransformed dissolved organic matter (DOM) leached from eight different primary producers. Leachates (10 mg C liter⁻¹) were exposed to artificial UVA + UVB radiation, or kept in darkness, for 20 h. DOM solutions were subsequently inoculated with lake water bacteria. Photoproduction of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), ranging from 3 to 16 μg C liter⁻¹ h⁻¹, and changes in the absorptive characteristics of the DOM were observed for all leachates upon UV irradiation. The effects of irradiation exposure on DOM bioavailability varied greatly, depending on leachate and type of bacterial growth criterion. Bacterial carbon utilization (biomass production plus respiration) over the entire incubation period (120 h) was enhanced by UV radiation of leachate from the terrestrial leaves, relative to carbon utilization in non-irradiated leachates. Conversely, carbon utilization was reduced by radiation of the leachates from aquatic macrophytes. In a separate experiment, the stable C and N isotope composition of bacteria grown on irradiated and non-irradiated DOM was estimated. Bacterial growth on UV-irradiated DOM was enriched in ¹³C relative to the bacteria in the non-irradiated treatments; this result may be explained by selective assimilation of photochemically produced, isotopically enriched labile compounds. Received: 17 February 2000; Accepted: 1 May 2000; Online Publication: 28 August 2000     

Bactericidal action of carbon dioxide laser radiation in experimental dental root canals

The ability of a carbon dioxide laser to sterilize the root canal of human teeth has been investigated. Three oral bacteria, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans, and Actinomyces viscosus, and three other bacteria, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used as experimental organisms. Exposure of cells on glass slides to laser radiation showed there was little difference in the exposure required to kill these six organisms. Complete recovery of bacteria from the root canal was initially a problem and was only achieved when bacterial manipulations and removal were carried out in rapid succession, within 5 min of inoculation. However, the geometry of the instrumented canal and the laser alignment were major factors in achieving consistent cell death of oral bacteria in the root canals. Using sets of 10 teeth, four repeated exposures of 10 W for 1 s was found to sterilize 4 or more of the teeth.     

Culturable Airborne Bacteria in Outdoor Environments in Beijing,China

Airborne bacteria are important biological components of bioaerosol and play an important role in ecosystem. Bacteria at a high concentration in the atmosphere can result in biological air pollution and all kinds of diseases. In this study, a systematical survey on the culturable airborne bacteria was carried out for 1 year at three sites in Beijing urban area. Results showed that concentrations of culturable bacteria ranged from 71 colony forming units (CFU)/m³ to 22,100 CFU/m³, and the mean was 2,217 CFU/m³. Bacterial concentrations at the human activity-enriched site (RCEES) and the highly trafficked site (XZM) were virtually the same point. They were significantly higher than those at the greener site (BBG). Significant variation in bacterial concentrations in different seasons was observed at RCEES and XZM with higher concentrations in summer and autumn. In a single day, significantly lower concentrations were detected at 13:00 hours through all sampling sites. In this study, 165 species in 47 genera of culturable bacteria were identified. Micrococcus was one of the most dominant bacterial groups and contributed to approximately 20∼30% of the total bacterial concentration, followed by Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, and Pseudomonas. The bacterial species with a high concentration percentage included Micrococcus luteus and Micrococcus roseus.     

Diversity of bacteria of the genus Bacillus on board of international space station

From swabs of surfaces of equipment and air samples of the Russian segment of the International Space Station, nine strains of spore-forming bacteria of the genus Bacillus belonging to the species B. pumilus, B. licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. megaterium, and B. amyloliquefaciens were isolated. The last species of bacilli on the equipment of RS ISS was detected for the first time. For these species of bacilli, there are known strains that can be opportunistic to humans, and their metabolites can cause biodegradation of equipment and materials. B. pumilus found on ISS belongs to the group of bacteria that exhibits a particularly high resistance to adverse environmental conditions, such as dehydration, ultraviolet and gamma radiation, and chemical disinfection.     

Ultraviolet irradiation of soil samples as a model of the effect of stress factors on bacterial diversity in soil ecosystem

UV irradiation is proposed for use in studying the effect of radioactive irradiation, since radioresistant bacteria are, as a rule, resistant to UV, and the mechanisms of repair of cell damage induced by UV and ionizing radiation are similar. It was found that the total number of bacteria and the number of dominant species in soil samples exposed to UV radiation decreased, indicating the unfavorable effect of UV radiation on bacterial diversity in soil ecosystems. The percentage of cells of bacteria belonging to dominant species varied significantly depending on the intensity of UV irradiation. It can be inferred that long-term irradiation of soils must impair the stability of soil ecosystems, a phenomenon that was indeed observed in the zone around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. At the same time, the UV irradiation of soil samples made it possible to reveal minor species, primarily UV-resistant pigmented bacteria. UV irradiation can probably be used as a selective factor for the isolation of radioresistant species.     

Resistivity of Spores to Ultraviolet and γ Radiation while Exposed to Ultrahigh Vacuum or at Atmospheric Pressure

Viability studies were conducted on microbial spores subjected to ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) in the 10^-9 to 10^-10 torr range. After 5 to 7 days in vacuum, they were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) or to γ radiation either while still under vacuum or in the presence of dried air. Among the four test organisms subjected to UHV and ultraviolet radiation, Aspergillus niger was the most resistant; Bacillus megaterium, B. subtilis var. niger, and B. stearothermophilus were about equally less resistant. All four spores were more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation when UHV-dried than when desiccant-dried. Of the four test organisms subjected to UHV and γ radiation, B. megaterium proved to be the most resistant; A. niger was the least resistant; and the remaining two organisms were of intermediate resistivity. All four organisms were less radiation resistant when UHV-dried than when irradiated in their normally hydrated state, and all showed an increased radiosensitivity after vacuum drying when oxygen was present. In addition, spores of B. subtilis var. niger and A. niger were less radiosensitive when UHV-dried and irradiated in vacuum than when “wet” and irradiated in air, whereas the reverse relationship was observed for the remaining two organisms. Based on the fact that microbial contaminants can be readily shielded from UV light by soils, metal particles, etc., and considering that the levels of ionizing radiations reported to be present in interstellar space are generally lower than those used in these experiments, the decrease in radioresistivity imparted by UHV drying is not of a sufficient magnitude to sterilize dependably portions of a spacecraft while on a mission.     

Abundances, identity, and growth state of actinobacteria in mountain lakes of different UV transparency

The occurrence, identity, and activity of microbes from the class Actinobacteria was studied in the surface waters of 10 oligo- to mesotrophic mountain lakes located between 913 m and 2,799 m above sea level. Oligonucleotide probes were designed to distinguish between individual lineages within this group by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Bacteria of a single phylogenetic lineage (acI) represented >90% of all Actinobacteria in the studied lakes, and they constituted up to 70% of the total bacterial abundances. In the subset of eight lakes situated above the treeline, the community contribution of bacteria from the acI lineage was significantly correlated with the ambient levels of solar UV radiation (UV transparency, r(2) = 0.72; P < 0.01). Three distinct genotypic subpopulations were distinguished within acI that constituted varying fractions of all Actinobacteria in the different lakes. The abundance of growing actinobacterial cells was estimated by FISH and immunocytochemical detection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation into de novo-synthesized DNA. The percentages of Actinobacteria with visible DNA synthesis approximately corresponded to the average percentages of BrdU-positive cells in the total assemblages. Actinobacteria from different subclades of the acI lineage, therefore, constituted an important autochthonous element of the aquatic microbial communities in many of the studied lakes, potentially also due to their higher UV resistance.     

Potential of essential oil combinations for surface and air disinfection

In this study, it was aimed to develop a novel disinfectant from various essential oils containing active components with antimicrobial activity. The mixture of oregano, cinnamon and clove oils (1 : 1 : 1) with 10% oil concentration (SOM) was used as potential disinfectant on various areas and showed the highest antimicrobial activity among oil combinations tested. SOM reduced the numbers of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB; 2·27 log CFU per 25 cm²) and Escherichia coli (4·60 log CFU per 25 cm²) under the detection limits. Application of SOM (1, 2, 3, 4 and 6%) into incubators reduced TMAB and mould-yeast counts of incubator air by 82·9 and 100% respectively. SOM application (3%) into ambient air also reduced its TMAB and mould-yeast counts by 92 and 84·6% respectively. While ethanol is commonly used for the disinfection of environments, equipment and surfaces, SOM is an important alternative that may also be used for the disinfection of various surfaces as well as air.