Inhibition of Bacterial Metabolism by Synthetic Detergents

Abstract

At a conc. of 1:30,000 most cationic detergents inhibited bacterial metabolism and affected both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms to the same degree. Few anionic wetting agents were effective at this conc., but at 1:3,000 some of the gram-positive bacteria were inhibited. There was seldom any significant effect by these compounds on gram-negative organisms at this dilution.