Influence of salinity on Vibrio fischeri and lux-modified Pseudomonas fluorescens toxicity bioassays

This study compares the toxicological response of the marine bacteria Vibri o fischeri and a lux-modified soil and freshwater bacteria, Pseudomonas flu orescens, to saline contamination alone and in the presence of chromium and phenol. Saline solutions are more toxic to P. fluorescens than V. fischeri , and salinity can stimulate luminescence in in V. fischeri. Vibrio fischer i, is about 10 times more sensitive than P. fluorescens to chromium and phe nol. However, the response of P. fluorescens to these toxicants is sensitiv e to changes in saline contamination, while the response of V. fischeri is not. Therefore, the P. fluorescens bioassay may be a more appropriate bioas say organism than V. fischeri when evaluating the toxicological impact of s alinity within saline environmental samples.