Synergistic cytotoxicity between pentachlorophenol and copper in a bacterial model

Both pentachlorophenol (PCP) and copper compounds have been widely used as wood preservatives, and are commonly found not only in the area near wood-p reserving facilities, but also in body fluids and tissues of people who are not occupationally exposed to them. In this study, we found that exposing bacteria to a combination of PCP and copper at non- or sub-toxic concentrat ions resulted in enhanced cytotoxic effect in a synergistic mode as indicat ed by both the inhibition of growth and the lowering of the colony-forming ability. The toxicity of the combination PCP/Cu(II) was relieved by hydroph ilic chelating agents, thiol compounds and adventitious proteins, but was m arkedly potentiated by low levels of the lipophilic metal chelating agents. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.