Determination of the labile species of zinc by anodic stripping staircase voltammetry, with special reference to correlation with the toxicity to tetrahymena

Anodic stripping staircase voltammetry (ASSV) has been tested as a method to determine the concentration of “free” ions and very labile complexes of zinc. These species are thought to be primarily responsible for the toxic effect of zinc on the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis. ASSV and toxicological experiments were performed in an inorganic salt medium and the effects of Cu interference were studied. Even though the ASSV results were encumbered with problems, the results agreed well with the toxicological effects. In contrast, calculations based on the solubility product of Zn₃ (PO₄)₂·4H₂O could lead to erroneous results because kinetic and other effects result in very slow precipitation of zinc phosphate at the concentration levels in the salt medium used. In this medium there is a dose-dependent effect of zinc on Tetrahymena which is in agreement with the ASSV data, which indicate that all the zinc is in a labile form. The study emphasizes the importance of using experimental determinations in preference to theoretical models, which may predict quite erroneous results.