Effect of sequence of exposure to chlorophenols in short-term bacterial bioassays

A bioassay using Pseudomonas fluorescens was affected by the sequence of exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenol (TCP). Surviving cells from standardized cell suspensions initially treated with PCP at concentrations ranging from 10 to 75 micrograms/ml, followed by removal of the toxicant, were not affected by a second dose of PCP at the same concentration. However, if the second dose was TCP, the test organism was sensitive to the second exposure. The most toxic sequence was an initial exposure to TCP followed by a second exposure to PCP. The response of the test organism to PCP and TCP was clearly dependent upon both the toxicant concentrations used and the sequence of toxicant addition.