Direct measurements of natural planktonic bacterial community viability by flow cytometry

Porter, J. and Diaper, J. and Edwards, C. and Pickup, R. (1995) Direct measurements of natural planktonic bacterial community viability by flow cytometry. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 61 (7). pp. 2783-2786. ISSN 0099-2240

Abstract

A range of fluorescent viability dyes were used in conjunction with flow cytometry to rapidly enumerate viable bacteria from freshwater environments. Optimal labelling was achieved by using carboxyfluorescein diacetate or chemchrome B with a detergent-mediated permeabilization step. The viable bacterial count under optimal conditions was 7% in oligotrophic lake water and 75% in polluted river water.