title: Determination of sterilization effectiveness by measuring bacterial growth in a biological indicator through firefly luciferase determination of ATP.
abstract: A bioluminescence procedure for measurement of microbial ATP allows a rapid determination of the effectiveness of autoclave sterilization. This determination is achieved faster than detection of acid production in a biological indicator via a pH indicator. Bacterial outgrowth from spores on test strips of the biological indicator was detected by measurement of ATP using the firefly luciferase reaction. A measureable increase in ATP was found after 5 hours of incubation of a biological indicator that had been treated under sterilizing conditions that produced 75% sterility of the biological indicator as measured by acid production. This is a marked improvement over the 24-48 hours of incubation currently required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Leach
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001517:Coleoptera; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay / Q000379:methods; D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus / Q000254:growth & development*; D008156:Luciferases; D008722:Methods
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D008156:Luciferases