Set of Enzymatic Bioassays for Assessment of Soil Contamination

Abstract

A concept of the comprehensive assessment of soil contamination is proposed. According to it, the conclusion regarding the presence of toxic substances in the analyzed sample is based on the inhibition of enzymatic reactions responsible for various functions of a living organism, such as luminescence, respiration, etc. These functions are taken as test functions in classical bioassays with the use of living objects (luminous bacteria, daphnia, algae, and others). The regularities of the impact of different classes of toxicants on the activity of particular enzymes or coupled oligo-enzyme chains have been established. These enzyme reactions are selected as potential test objects: markers of contamination. Three enzyme systems with the maximal sensitivity to different classes of toxicants have been chosen for the set of enzymatic bioassays: butyrylcholinesterase, NAD(P)H:FMN-oxidoreductase + luciferase, and lactate dehydrogenase + NAD(P)H:FMN-oxidoreductase + luciferase. The possibility to use enzymes instead of living organisms in the bioassay of natural complex systems has been shown.