Use of the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio harveyi to detect biohazardous chemicals in soil and water extractions with and without acid.

An investigation was undertaken using the bioluminescence-reduction bioassay of Vibrio harveyi to study the toxicity of 31 chemicals in a soil and water extraction that was treated with and without hydrochloric acid. Soil had the chemical added and was washed with 0.2 N HC1 and afterward this acid-treated soil containing the chemical was evaluated. Each chemical was tested independently. Endpoints determined were either an estimated effective concentration at 50 or 20%, which was based on bacterial-luminescence remaining after treatment. This investigation suggests that metals are more effectively bound in treatments without acid than those with acid, while no difference in toxicity was observed for organics. In comparison to a previous study of toxicity using these chemicals in water, soil was effective in reducing toxicity as determined by this assay. However, each chemical appears to have its own unique toxicity characteristic when evaluated under different conditions.