文摘
Water disinfection by photosensitization from bergamot oil shows (production of singulet oxygen) a complete inhibition of fecal coliforms present in water after one hour of exposition to the light. It is not the case for water kept in dark during two hours. The sensitivity of fecal enterococci (Gram+) is higher than that of fecal coliforms (Gram-). This difference could be due to the constitution of their cellular membranes, those of fecal enterococci being deprived of polyliposaccharidic layer and easily damaged by singlet oxygen. No regrowth of both fecal coliforms and fecal enterococci was noticed in water treated with bergamot oil, exposed to the light during two hours and kept in the darkness during 24 h.