Effect of chromium on growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Tolerance level to trivalent chromium-Cr(salen)(H2O)2+ and hexavalent chromium-K2Cr2O7 was assessed in P. aeruginosa isolated from tannery effluent soil. It could tolerate 80 and 100 ppm in liquid cultures and up to 100 and 200 ppm in plate count agar in the presence of trivalent and hexavalent chromium respectively. Unadapted cells took a longer time to grow than adapted cells in the presence of K2Cr2O7. Chromium influenced the cellular contents, morphology and respiration of P. aeruginosa. The chosen trivalent salt of chromium was more toxic than the hexavalent one.