Survival of airborne bacteria in a high urban concentration of carbon monoxide

Vegetative cells of Serratia marcescens 8UK, Sarcina lutea, and spores of Bacillus subtilus var. niger were held in aerosols, with and without an urban concentration of CO (85 muliters per liter or ppm), for up to 6 hr at 15 C and a relative humidity (RH) of approximately 0, 25, 50, 75, and 95%. It was found that CO enhanced the death rate of S. marcescens 8UK at least four- to sevenfold at low RH (ca. 1 to 25%), but protected the cells at high RH (ca. 90%). Death rates of S. lutea, with or without added CO, were comparatively low over the entire RH range. However, in the first hour, airborne S. lutea held in CO-containing air were more stable than those in air without added CO (i.e., CO protection). A marked increase in the death rate (up to 70-fold) occurred in the subsequent 5 hr within the RH range of approximately 0 to 75%. Statistical analysis indicated that aerosol decay rates of B. subtilus var. niger spores decreased significantly, when held in a CO-containing as compared to a non-CO-containing atmosphere, in the 0 to 85% RH range. Thus, the data presented indicate that CO in the urban environment may have a protective or lethal effect on airborne bacteria, dependent upon at least the microbial species, aerosol age, and relative humidity. A mechanism for CO death enhancement and protection of airborne S. marcescens 8UK is suggested to involve CO uncoupling of an energy-requiring death mechanism and an energy-requiring maintenance mechanism at high and low RH, respectively.