Apply Bioluminescence of Luminous Bacteria to Detect the Heavy Metal Contamination in Water

Assessment of the single and joint toxicity effects of arsenic,cadmium and chromium was conducted by using bioluminescence inhibition test.The toxic substances can inhibit the bioluminescence of luminous bacteria,and then the relative luminous intensity could be used to judge the toxic effect.The experiment results showed that heavy metal ions inhibited bioluminescence dose-dependently within a certain concentration range,according to the strength of bioluminescence inhibition,the list of the toxicity sequence was:As3+Cr6+Cd2+.The mixtures of two heavy metal ions As3+ and Cr6+,As3+and Cd2+,and Cr6+ and Cd2+,showed strong toxic activity comparing with their individual treatments,in which the joint toxicity effect was addictive or antagonism.The results suggested that luminescent bacteria could be used to monitor heavy metals contamination in water.