Effects of non-ionic surfactants on the uptake and hydrolysis of fluoresceindiacetate by alkane-oxidizing bacteria

Biological effects of non-ionic surfactants on alkane-oxidizing bacteria we re studied by assessing their influence on the uptake of prefluorochrome fl uoresceindiacetate (FDA) and its intracellular hydrolysis to fluorescein. B oth decreasing and increasing rates of hydrolysis as a consequence of the p resence of surfactants were observed. The surfactants influenced the uptake of FDA, but not its intracellular hydrolysis. The effects of the surfactan ts on the uptake rate depended strongly on the structure and physico-chemic al properties of the surfactants. There was no qualitative or significant q uantitative difference in surfactant susceptibility between induced (alkane grown) and non-induced bacteria (acetate grown), even though the induced c ells possess greater cell surface hydrophobicity.