X‐ray microanalysis of chlorine and phosphorus content in biguanide‐treated Acanthamoeba castellanii

Energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays (EDAX) was used to study the effects of chlorhexidine diacetate (CHA) and polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) on Acanthamoeba castellanii. A high variation of elements occurred in untreated individual cells and only two elements, Cl (a biocide marker) and P, were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied microbiology 1999-03, Vol.86 (3), p.453-459
Main Authors: Khunkitti, W., Hann, A. C., Lloyd, D., Furr, J. R., Russell, A. D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acanthamoeba - chemistry
Acanthamoeba - drug effects
Acanthamoeba - ultrastructure
Acanthamoeba castellanii
Animals
Biguanides - pharmacokinetics
Biological and medical sciences
Chlorine
Chlorine - analysis
Disinfectants - pharmacokinetics
Electron Probe Microanalysis
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Phosphorus - analysis
Protozoa
Systematics. Geographical distribution. Morphology. Cytology
Vacuoles - chemistry
Vacuoles - ultrastructure
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Summary:Energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays (EDAX) was used to study the effects of chlorhexidine diacetate (CHA) and polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) on Acanthamoeba castellanii. A high variation of elements occurred in untreated individual cells and only two elements, Cl (a biocide marker) and P, were investigated. X‐ray dot mapping of untreated trophozoites and cysts revealed that Cl in cells was uniformly distributed throughout the cytoplasm, whereas P was less dense in the vacuoles. X‐ray dots of Cl in biocide‐treated trophozoites and cysts appeared denser and evenly distributed within the cells as the biguanide concentration increased. Quantitative analysis of either CHA or PHMB within the cells using Cl as an elemental marker was unsatisfactory because of the high Cl levels in untreated cells. The apparent increases of P in some experiments with treated cells might be associated with reduced permeability, protein coagulation or aggregation of phospholipids.
ISSN:1364-5072
1365-2672
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00683.x