[Use of a mass spectrometric method for studying the oxygen demand of suspensions of resting Bacillus anthracoides spores].

Oxygen assimilation by the spore suspensions of Bacillus anthracoides under sterile conditions was continuously registered by means of a modified mass-spectrometry technique using an original reaction vessel. The sensitivity of the technique is 2.10(-2) mcl O2 per 1 mg of dry biomass per hour. The technique made it possible to determine the level of endogenous respiration activity in the spore suspensions of Bacillus anthracoides.