[Mechanisms of bacterial inactivation as affected by cation surface-active substances]

The death kinetics and ultratructure of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria exposed to alkyldimethylammonium chloride were studied. It was shown that at low concentrations (0.0001 per cent) the agent had a pronounced bactericidal effect, which was higher with respect to the gram-positive bacteria. Impairment of the intactness of the cytoplasmic membrane, a vitally important organoid of the bacterial cell, was the main factor in the mechanism of action of the cationic surface-active substance. Membrane structures of various configuration and localization not associated with the cell division were detected in the cytoplasm of the dead bacteria. These structures are probably the result of self-assembly of the membrane lipid components broken under the action of the detergent.