[Structural and biochemical changes in the spores of Bacillus cereus exposed to caustic soda and hypochlorite]

The spores of Bacillus cereus were treated with 5% NaOH at 50 degrees C and 0.25% NaOCl. As a result, 99% of the spores had lost their viability by the 11th and 19.5th minutes, respectively. Kinetics of the process has shown that the rates of elimination of calcium and dipicolinic acid from the spores are different, and intensive loss of RNA and DNA was registered. Progressive degradation of spore envelopes and inner structures has been revealed by electron microscopy. Lethal effect of the studied chemical substances is presumed to be related to changes in the spore envelopes, thus interfering with normal barriers of permeability.