抄録
The application of the Flow cytometry (FCM) technique for rapid determination of cell number of viable bacteria suspended in seawater is described. A fluorescein diacetate was used to distinguish between viable cells and dead cells for various bacteria. The FCM technique was also used to discriminate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using the LIVE BacLightTM Bacterial gram stain kit. A difference in the fluorescence scattergram between the two bacterial groups was observed. The FCM method provided rapid determination of cell number of viable bacteria in seawater. A good correlation was observed between the values determined by the FCM method and the colony counting method in the range of 105-109 cells/ml. One FCM assay could be completed within 60 s and the total assay time including the preparation of bacteria was within 35min.
