%0 Journal Article %A Benbough, J. E. %T Factors Affecting the Toxicity of Oxygen Towards Airborne Coliform Bacteria %D 1969 %J Microbiology, %V 56 %N 2 %P 241-250 %@ 1465-2080 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-56-2-241 %I Microbiology Society, %X SUMMARY The maximum bactericidal effect of oxygen on airborne coliform bacteria occurred at the lowest relative humidity tested. Escherichia coli commune and Klebsiella aerogenes were very much less sensitive than E. coli b and E. coli jepp.Only a small partial pressure of oxygen in a nitrogen-oxygen mixture at atmospheric pressure was required to produce the maximum effect. The oxygen toxicity for each bacterial strain was altered by changing the growth conditions or by including certain chemicals in the spray fluid. These chemicals are protective to freeze-dried bacteria and therefore inactivation of oxidative enzymes in freeze dried and airborne bacteria probably occur by similar mechanisms. The same oxidative enzymes in bacterial colonies were slightly inactivated by hyperbaric oxygen pressures. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-56-2-241