Population estimates of Thiobacillus thioparus in composting biofilters by PCR analysis.

A direct most-probable-number polymerase chain reaction method (MPN-PCR) was used to monitor populations of Thiobacillus thioparus in compost biofilters used to treat air contaminated with dymethyl disulphide and ammonia. The PCR method quantified this bacterium at numbers ranging from log 2 to log 8 cells per gram of biofilter media.