Background
The Potassium Hydroxide test has its advantages; it is simple and easy to use, rapid and inexpensive. In laboratories this test could be used in addition to the Gram stain for primary differentiation of isolates.
Many organisms such as Bacillus and Clostridium spp. that have lost some of the integrity of their cell wall appear Gram negative on staining resulting in possible misidentification.
In the presence of Potassium Hydroxide, Gram negative cell walls are broken down releasing viscid chromosomal material, this causes the bacterial suspension to become thick and stringy. Gram positive bacteria remain unaffected.
Material Safety Data Sheet (En)
