A METHOD FOR STERILIZATION OF NATURAL SEAWATER

The combination of pasteurization and filtration provided reliable, sterile, natural seawater and estuarine water confirmed by sterility tests. Filtering seawater from the Gulf Stream through 0.1 μm pore membrane filter with 0.45 μm prefilter was not an effective method of sterilization. Flexibacter sp. readily passed through the filters. Pasteurization of the water for 2 h at 70°C before filtration eliminated the Flixibacter contamination. Both manipulations resulted in an increase of dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen. Dissolved reactive silicon increased if the pasteurization was accomplished in glass vessels. © 1987.