Comparative sensitivity of the luminescent Photobacterium phosphoreum, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis strains to toxic effects of carbon-based nanomaterials and metal nanoparticles

Abstract

A comparative analysis of the four commercially available and laboratory luminescent sensor strains to the toxic effect of 10 carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) and 10 metal nanoparticles (MNPs) was carried out in this study. The bioluminescence inhibition assays with marine Photobacterium phosphoreum and recombinant Escherichia coli strains were varied in minimal toxic concentrations and EC₅₀ values but led to well-correlated biotoxicity evaluation for the most active compounds, which were ranked as Cu > (MgO, CuO) > (fullerenol, graphene oxide). The novel sensor strain Bacillus subtilis EG168-1 exhibited the highest sensitivity to CBNs and MNPs, which increased significantly the number of toxic compounds causing the bacterial bioluminescence inhibition effect.