Radiosensitivity of Bacillus thermoacidurans under Different Environmental Conditions

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Abstract
The effect of environmental conditions on the radiosensitivity of B. thermoacidurans spores to 3-Mev cathode rays and Co60 gamma-rays was studied. The effects of medium, atmosphere, physical state of the medium, sodium ascorbate, pH of medium, and age of the spores were studied in detail. The spores are not affected greatly by the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere, are protected by sodium ascorbate when irradiated in saline by gamma-rays but not by cathode rays, and are sensitive to pH of the medium. The radiosensitivity of the spore tends to increase with age. The effects of environment on B. thermoacidurans are less pronounced and have fewer anomalies than those predicted by simple first-order reactions in other organisms such as Escherichia coli and B. subtilis.