Biochemical effects of technetium-99-pertechnetate on microorganisms

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · Plant Physiol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.55.2.240· OSTI ID:7286197

Gearing, P; van Baalen, C; Parker, P L

The biochemical effects of technetium-99 as pertechnetate (TcO/sub 4//sup -/) were investigated in a variety of microorganisms (a nonsulfur purple bacterium, five blue-green algae, a protozoan, a diatom, two heterotrophic bacteria, a red alga and two green algae). Sensitivity to pertechnetate as measured by growth ranged from marked inhibition at 1 ..mu..g Tc/ml (nonsulfur purple bacterium) to no effect at 600 ..mu..g Tc/ml (both green algae). No correlation between organism type and growth susceptibility to pertechnetate was apparent. The blue-green alga, Agmenellum quadruplicatum strain PR-6, bound technetium-99 to a level of 3 ..mu..g/mg dry weight cells (from medium containing 1.5 mM pertechnetate) in the light, but little or none in the dark; cell death occurred only with uptake. Addition of TcO/sub 4//sup -/ to the medium caused a rapid but temporary increase in ATP levels of PR-6 (in the light only) and Tetrahymena pyriformis strain WH14. Respiration of organisms WH14 and Bacillus subtilis and photosynthesis of organism PR-6 were immediately slowed by the introduction of pertechnetate. Technetium as pertechnetate has a possible biochemical effect on cells, unrelated to its radioactivity or to a general oxidation effect. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas Marine Science Inst., Port Aransas
• OSTI ID: 7286197
• Journal Information: Plant Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Plant Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 55:2; ISSN PLPHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALGAE
ANIMALS
BACTERIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOMASS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
GROWTH
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INHIBITION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INVERTEBRATES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERTECHNETATES
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PLANTS
PROTOZOA
RADIOISOTOPES
REFRACTORY METALS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESPIRATION
SYNTHESIS
TECHNETIUM
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM COMPOUNDS
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES