Effects of pH and

Osmotic Pressure on
Microbial Growth
 pH – is a measure of the hydrogen
Effects of pH
ion concentration of a solution
Effects of pH  Picture of pH basic to acidic
 Extreme pH affects the structure of
Effects of pH
all macromolecules
 Examples:
1. The hydrogen bonds holding
together strands of DNA break up
Effects of pH at high pH.
2. Lipids are hydrolyzed by an
extremely basic pH.
 Protein – a component of a cell that
Effects of pH
is most sensitive to pH
 Optimum growth pH – is the most
favorable pH for the growth of an
organism
Effects of pH Minimum growth pH – is the lowest
value that an organism can tolerate
Maximum growth pH – the highest
value that an organism can tolerate
Effects of pH