SEDL / STP / STP1364-EB / STP15811S

Population Growth Kinetics of Tetrahymena pyriformis Exposed to Selected Electrophiles

Bearden, AP
Waste Management Research and Education Institute, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

Sinks, GD
College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

Schultz, TW
Waste Management Research and Education Institute, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1999

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Abstract

This study describes the effects of two selected electrophilic chemicals on the population growth kinetics of the freshwater ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis (strain GL). The two chemicals selected, 3-butyn-2-one and trans-2-nonenal, each have a polarized, α,β-unsaturated moiety, which is associated with the electrophilic mechanism of Michael-type addition. T. pyriformis populations exposed to both electrophiles exhibited concentration dependent death of the initial inoculum within 1 to 2 h. Three-butyn-2-one which has a low 1-octanol-water partition coefficient (log K^ow = -0.89) exhibited greater toxicity with death observed at 0.068 mg/L. Death was first observed in the morehydrophobic, trans-2-nonenal (log K^ow = 3.16) at 4.21 mg/L. Death was followed by recovery of the population at the growth rates similar to control populations without chemical exposure.