Interactions of heavy metals with organisms and proteins

Voltammetric techniques [differential pulse polarography (DPP) and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV)] have been used to determine, at various pH, conditional differential functions and average equilibrium constants of copper, zinc and lead with the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and Methanosarcine, the alga Selenastrum capricornutum Printz and the proteins horse-heart cytochrome C and the soluble extract of sulphate-reducing bacteria. The buffer intensity in terms of metal ion and complexing capacity has also been determined. From a comparison of the results a better insight into the groups involved has been obtained.