Data for: Searching for bacteria in sticky situations: methods for investigating bacterial survival at solid-air interfaces involving Wyoming MX-80 bentonite

Data used to produce figures 2 and 3 in Pashang and Laursen Data for figure 2 include the number of viable Arthrobacter sp. cells successfully removed from a) dried bentonite sheet using a vortex; b) a dried bentonite sheet using sonication; c) powdered bentonite using vortex; and d) powdered bentonite using sonication. Data for figure 3 include the number of viable (culturable) Arthrobacter sp. cells removed from a) dried bentonite sheets and dry, powdered bentonite using vortex, sonication, vortex followed by sonication, and sonication followed by vortex; and b) from dried bentonite sheets and dry, powdered bentonite under different pH and temperature conditions. Cells were removed from bentonite by sonication for 20 min.