TOXIC EFFECTS OF A SYNTHETIC LAS DETERGENT ON THE COLONIAL GREEN ALGA, PLEODORINA CALIFORNICA
The sensitivity of Pieodorina californica cells to a synthetic LAS detergent was studied. Retardation of cell division, cell death and a decrease in content of chlorophyll occurred in colonies exposed to a low concentration of LAS. In affected cells, lamellae of chloroplasts were sometimes swollen and large vacuoles appeared in the cytoplasm. yet the oxygen production by chlorophyll continued to occur and R cells were still capable of reproduction. At higher concentrations, a majority of colonies died off, cell organelles being disintegrated. LAS affected Pleodorina cells at lower concentrations in comparison with soap, although the two detergents caused cell death within a few minutes at high concentrations.
