DETERMINATION OF THE BACTERIAL CONCENTRATION IN FRESH-WATER RESERVOIRS AND STREAMS BY FLUOROMETRY

A simple fluorometric method is proposed for rapid determination of th e concentration or biomass of bacterioplankton in various natural fres hwater reservoirs and streams directly under field conditions. Fluores camine, which specifically binds to proteins and amino acids in microb ial cells, was used as the fluorescent marker. Regression equations we re calculated on the basis of the results obtained. The coefficient of correlation between the fluorescence intensity and the bacterial biom ass (cell number) was found to be 0.93 (0.89) for the total body of da ta obtained in the reservoirs studied.