Total count and growth rates of bacteria in saline water of Lake Timsah and hypersaline water of Bardawil Lagoon, Egypt

Abstract

This study may present first total bacterial counts estimated in Lake Timsah and El-Teloul and Mesafaq Basins of Bardawil Lagoon using the dilution culture technique followed by filtration through 0.2 µm cellulose nitrate filters and examined by epifluorescent microscope after staining with acridine orange. Also, the staining of bacterial cultures with acridine orange in metabolically active and inactive states was investigated using direct epifluorescent filter technique. Generation time of Lake Timsah bacterial cultures was 2.04 generations day −1 and growth rate was 0.049 h −1 . In Bardawil Lagoon doubling time was 3.3 and 1.79 generations day −1 for samples collected from El-Teloul and Mesafaq, respectively. The growth rates were 0.09 and 0.04 h −1 for El-Teloul and Mesafaq Basins, respectively.