Quantitation of intracellular polychlorobiphenyls during growth of Rhodotorula glutinis

A quantitative method to assay accumulated polychlorobiphenyls (PCB) in Rho notorula glutinis is described which avoids any interference of extracellul ar adsorbed compounds. This method is based on a prior appropriate treatmen t of the cells before the extraction of derivatives by supercritical CO2 an d GC analysis. The prior treatment consists in a double fixation of the sam ples with glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxyde. After this fixation process the elimination of the extracellular PCBs can be achieved by washing the fi xed yeast cells with organic solvents.