Differential toxicities of mercury to bacteria and bacteriophages in sea and in lake water.
Mixtures of anionic HgCl3-/HgCl4(2)-complexes were less toxic to terrestrial bacteria (Erwinia herbicola, Agrobacterium tumefaciens), to marine bacteria (Acinetobacter sp., Aeromonas sp.), and to bacteriophages (phi 11 M 15 of Staphylococcus aureus and P1 of Escherichia coli) than were equivalent concentrations of Hg as cationic Hg2+. The toxicity of 1 ppm Hg to A. tumefaciens. Aeromonas sp., and phi 11 M 15 was less in seawater than in lake water. Inasmuch as the Hg-Cl species are formed in environments of high chloride concentration, it was postulated that the lower toxicity of Hg in seawater was a result of the formation of HgCl3-/HgCl4(2)-complexes.
D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000187:drug effects; D000333:Aeromonas / Q000187:drug effects; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000187:drug effects*; D003090:Coliphages / Q000187:drug effects; D004885:Erwinia / Q000187:drug effects; D005618:Fresh Water; D008628:Mercury / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000187:drug effects; D012623:Seawater; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000187:drug effects; D014871:Water Microbiology
D012965:Sodium Chloride; D008628:Mercury