Question

Imagine you used a antimicrobial process that had a decimal reduction time of 1 minute. How many cells would you except to survive if you used that process for 4 minutes on a microbial population of 1,000,000 cells. Please explain and show work

Answer 1

Decimal reduction time is the required to decrease the population by one decimal point i.e, if initial population was 100 percent then the final population will be 10 percent. The final population is reduced by a decimal place.This method is commonly used in sterilization of microorganisms.

The formula used to calculate decimal reduction time or d value is :-

t= d×{log N°-logN')

Where,

t = time required

d= d value

N°= initial population

N'= final population

According to the question , the d value for the anticorbial substance is 1 minute .

N° = 10^6

N'= ?

t = 4 min

Using the formula stated above , the value of N' will be equal to 10^2