Bioluminescent Analysis. The Action of Toxicants: Physical-Chemical Regularities of the Toxicants Effects

Abstract

The physical-chemical regularities of aromatic compounds' effects in luciferase toxicity biotesting have been studied. The structures and physical-chemical characteristics of the toxicants and of the bioluminescent emitter were taken into account. The inhibition constants of bioluminescence intensiy (I) were calculated and interpreted from the viewpoint of the energy (electron) transfer processes. The induction period (P) and the increase of the time of the maximum light intensity (t_M) which take place in the quinones' presence, have been shown to deal with hydrogen transfer processes. The values of I, P and t_M have been shown to be connected with a size of the quinones' aromatic and aliphatic parts. P- and t_M-dependencies on quinone's redox potential have been demonstrated.

Key Words:

• bacterial luciferase biotest
• foreign compounds
• energy of election excited states level
• redox potential
• reducing of bioluminescent intensity
• induction period
• time of maximum light intensity