EFFECT OF CHELATING AGENTS ON THE GROWTH OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN SEAWATER1

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Jones, Galen E. (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, La Jolla). Effect of chelating agents on the growth of Escherichia coli in seawater. J. Bacteriol. 87:483–499. 1964.—Escherichia coli did not grow at 37 C, or grew only after a prolonged lag phase in filter-sterilized basal seawater medium (synthetic or natural seawater supplemented with glucose, NH4Cl, and K2HPO4). When this basal medium was enriched with 0.01% or less organic matter, such as casein hydrolysate, peptone, or yeast extract, growth always occurred after a short lag phase. Adding 10−5m cysteine or autoclaving the seawater gave a similar effect. A variety of organic chelating agents (histidine, glycine, methionine, glycylglycine, 8-hydroxyquinoline, thioglycolic acid, o-phenanthroline, disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, etc.) reversed the toxicity of filter-sterilized basal seawater medium in concentrations predictable from stability constants. Even metal-complexing agents such as Na2S2O3, Na2S, and NaCN in appropriate concentrations reversed toxicity. The quality of the distilled water and the treatment of glassware had a significant effect on the growth of E. coli in basal seawater medium. It was concluded that iodate is probably not the toxic substance for E. coli in seawater, since relatively high concentrations were stimulatory. The inhibition resulting from the individual salts of synthetic seawater was proportional to their concentration; NaCl was most inhibitory. This toxicity is believed to be derived from trace impurities in the reagent-grade chemicals used to prepare synthetic seawater. Evidence was also found for the toxicity of heavy metals in natural seawater. Heavy metals in seawater appear to inhibit growth but not respiration.

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