Monitoring Microbial Growth by Bioluminescent ATP Assay

Abstract

Quantitative determination of total biomass carbon as a function of time is often important both in general and applied microbiology. The classic techniques for detecting and monitoring microbes include total visual or electronic cell counting, viable cell counting using plating techniques, estimating cell number by measuring the turbidity, and dry weight determination. Both viable and total cell counting are somewhat time-consuming and open to serious criticism [1,2]. Although particle counting methods are faster, they suffer from inaccuracies caused by counting of any particulate matter, including air bubbles and dust particles. Moreover, direct counting includes both viable and nonviable cells. No rapid method for detecting or monitoring viable bacteria has thus far been available. Undoubtedly the determination of viable cells is important in all kinds of contamination studies and in processes that require viable cells. Because of the problems associated with conventional methods, there has been great interest in attempts to find a rapid routine procedure for determining the amount of microbes in different sources.