Influence of the presence of atrazine in water on the in-vivo delayed luminescence of Acetabularia acetabulum

This article shows that the photoinduced delay luminescence in the seconds time range emitted from a unicellular alga Acetabularia acetabulum is influenced in selective way by the presence of atrazine in the matrix. The presence of atrazine is noticeable up to a concentration of about 0.5 mu g l(-1). The presented phenomenon suggests the possibility of analyzing trace elements in water, destined to be used for drinking, using a physical parameter related to a biological system and could make possible the development of a new methodology for monitoring water pollution.