Comparison of Effects of Uranium and Americium on Bioluminescent Bacteria

Abstract

Effect of UO2(NO3)2 on bioluminescent bacteria P.Phosphoreum was studied. It was compared with the effect of solutions of the more active radionuclide - 241Am(NO3)3 studied earlier (Rozhko et al., 2007). Bioluminescence inhibition was observed under uranyl concentrations exceeding 10-7 M (30 Bq/l); and bioluminescence activation was not observed under all radionuclide concentrations and exposure times in the experiment. Effect of uranyl was attributed to chemical component of its impact, not radiation one. It was shown that solutions of Americium were detoxified by humic substances (0.25 mg/ml), but solutions of uranyl – are not.

Keywords

• radiotoxicity
• biomonitoring
• bioluminescence