Pyrolysis-gas-liquid chromatography with atomic emission detection for theidentification of Corynebacterium species

We report here the application of pyrolysis-gas chromatography followed by atomic emission detection (AED) for the characterisation of microorganisms. AED measured the quantity of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen in the molecules separated chromatographically, Twenty-three strains, representing eight Cor ynebacterium species, were tested in this preliminary study. Go-ordinate pr incipal analysis grouped 11 strains in their respective species group. Most of the other strains appear randomly distributed, perhaps because these st rains require additional nutrients. These preliminary results show that the method could be used as a tool for the taxonomic and perhaps the epidemiol ogic characterisation of bacteria. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.