Radiotoxicity of plutonium in NTA-degrading Chelatobacter heintzii cell suspensions

The radiotoxicity of plutonium in NTA-degrading Chelatobacter heintzii cell suspensions was investigated as part of a more general study to establish the key interactions between actinide-organic complexes and microorganisms in the subsurface. The radiation tolerance of C. heintzii, based on 60Co gamma irradiation experiments, was 165 +/- 30 Gy. No bacteria survived irradiation doses greater than 500 Gy. In the presence of plutonium, where alpha particle decay was the primary source of ionizing radiation, the observed toxicity was predominantly radiolytic rather than chemical. This was evident by the greater effect of activity, rather than concentration, on the toxicity noted. Bioassociation of plutonium with C. heintzii was postulated to be an important and necessary step in the observed loss of cell viability since this was the best way to account for the observed death rate. The radiotoxicity of plutonium towards bacteria is a potentially important consideration in the bioremediation of sites contaminated with radionuclide-organic mixtures and the bioprocessing of nuclear waste.