CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIOPHYSICS OF THE LETHAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRIC-FIELD ON MICROORGANISMS

The proposed model assumes that the criteria leading to the lethal bre akdown of microorganisms suspended in a continuous medium depend on tw o parameters: (a) the applied electric field must exceed the critical field of membrane to create holes and (b) the Joule energy (deposited in the membrane) must exceed the minimum value beyond which the cell c an not recover. The first parameter initiates (reversible) breakdown a nd the second one, the completion of the (irreversible) electrical bre akdown leading to death of the cell. The number of cells surviving the electric field treatment is related to statistical distribution of ce ll size. Comparison between theory and the experimental results of Kin osita and Tsong (1977); Hulsheger et al. (1980, 1981, 1983); Rosemberg and Korenstein (1990) and others is given.