An electrohydraulic shock wave generator was used to study the bactericidal action of shock waves on Escherichia coli ATCC
10536 suspensions in 0.9% wŽ. Ž . v NaCl solution initial cell population: 8.2 log CFUml . The influence of treatment 10
temperature, shock wave energy, number of applied shock waves, the acoustic cavitation produced by the shock wave, and the
spark gap-generated light UV and visible were analyzed using Ž . E. coli cultures in the exponential phase. Part of the experiment
was repeated in the stationary phase. Results indicate that light, number of shock waves, cavitation and interactions between
them, influence bactericidal activity Ž . P0.05 . The best viability reduction of 4.06 log CFU 10 ml was achieved at 350 shock
waves, administered during approximately 14.5 min, with bacteria in the stationary phase by enhancing acoustic cavitation inside
the vial, and without protecting the samples from the visible and UV radiation produced by the shock wave-generating spark.
2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
K