Thermochemical studies of the toxic actions of heavy metal ions on Rhizopus nigricans

By using a LKB2277 BioActivity Monitor (heat conduction microcalorimeter), stopped-flow method, the thermogenetic curves of Rhizopus nigricans growth at 25 degrees C inhibited by four kinds of heavy metal ions are determined parameters such as growth rate constants k, inhibitory ratio I, half inhibitory concentration IC50 et al, are obtained. The experimental results show that heavy metal ions can inhibit Rhizopus nigricans growth obviously, low concentration of Cu2+ has promoting action. The inhibitory sequence is Cd2+ > Hg2+ > Pb2+ > Cu2+, half inhibitory concentration of them are Cd2+ 0.8 mu g.ml(-1), Hg2+ 1.7 mu g.ml(-1), Pb2+ 48.0 mu g.ml(-1), Cu2+ 110 mu g.ml(-1). This microclorimetric bioassay for acute cellular toxicity is based on metabolic heat evolution from cultured cells. The assay is quantitative, inexpensive, and versatile; moreover, toxicological information can be obtained with cell from other species of interest. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.