The toxicity of inorganic mercury, nickel, chromium and cadmium on the unicellular photosynthetic flagellate Euglena gracilis, strain Z (E.g.) has been tested. Under the conditions used each metal impaired the growth rate of E.g., and had a very strong effect on cell motility. The degree of cytotoxicity and motility decreased from mercury iodide to cadmium chloride to cadmium nitrate to potassium dichromate to nickel sulfate. No mutagenic effects of the metals investigated have been observed. Adverse effects of metal compounds can be tested on the eukaryotic species of Euglena gracilis used as an intermediate model system between bacterial and animal model.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.