EFFECT OF VOLATILE DISINFECTANTS ON SURVIVAL OF MICROFLORA IN SOIL

Abstract

The effects of chloroform, HCN, formaldehyde, chloropicrin, and ethylene oxide on the survival of soil microflora in an evacuated system were detd. The effect of these disinfectants on the solubility of soil copper and Mn in ammonium acetate was also shown. Ethylene oxide sterilized soil after 11 hours'' exposure, formaldehyde after 3 days, and chloropicrin after 8 days. Chloroform and HCN decreased the numbers of viable micro-organisms but did not sterilize soil after 10 and 8 days'' exposure, respectively. Of the 3 effective soil-sterilizing agents found, ethylene oxide was the most lethal under the conditions studied and resulted in the least increase of ammonium acetate-soluble manganese. Possibly toxic concns. of Cu and Mn resulted from the use of chloropicrin.