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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 1594

James S. Maki and Charles C. Remsen; Comparison of two direct-count methods for determining metabolizing bacteria in freshwater. Appl.Environ.Microbiol. 41(5):1132-1138, 1981

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Planktonic bacteria collected from several freshwater environments and cultured bacteria were used to compare two methods for determining the numbers of metabolizing bacteria. The methods used were (i) reduction of 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl to tetrazolium chloride-formazan and (ii) elongation of cells by using yeast extract and nalidixic acid. No statistically significant difference was found between methods in determining metabolizing bacteria, although significant differences (P<0.05) were found when comparing numbers of total bacteria. A combination of the two methods yielded significant changes, both positive and negative, in the numbers of metabolizing bacteria.