Effect of Several Solutions Including Mineral-encaging Zeolites on the Restoration of Cell Motility of Tributyltin-intoxicated Euglena gracilis Z.

To examine the detoxification effect of mineral-encaged zeolites on cells impaired by pollutant-intoxication, we used a bioassay system involving Euglena gracilis Z as the model organism and TBTCl as a pollutant. TBTCl exposure causes Euglena cells to quickly change shape from a spherical to spindle form, with the process being reversible by detoxification. Taking advantage of this morphological characteristic, we examined the restoration of motility by water containing zeolites encaging different minerals. TBTCl-intoxicated Euglena cells were incubated in processed water with different types of mineral-encaging zeolites for up to 3 hours. The restoration of motility was evaluated by observing the number of motile cells with a video microscope. Remarkable recovery was observed in the incubation systems with water containing Fe-, Zn-, and Mn-encaging zeolites. However, the effect was suppressed when the water species were treated with the chelator, Chelex-100(®). An equivalent concentration of FeCl3 to that in the Fe-encaging zeolite processed water did not show significant restoration effect.