Mechanism of the bactericidal action produced by electrohydraulic shock.

Electrohydraulic shock was shown to produce oxidation reactions which inactivated certain compounds important in cellular metabolism. Enzymes that were inactivated included lactic dehydrogenase, trypsin, and proteinases of Bacillus subtilis. Free sulfhydryl groups and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide were oxidized. Adenosine triphosphate was destroyed, but deoxyribonucleic acid was not affected. Intracellular material of Escherichia coli lost its ability to absorb at 260 mmu after electrohydraulic shock. The bactericidal mechanism involved appeared to be due to nonselective oxidation reactions produced by high-voltage discharges in water. These oxidation reactions were probably mediated by free radicals produced in the water.