THE TOXIC ACTION OF COPPER ON NITELLA

1. Using the loss of turgidity of the cells as a criterion it is found that the toxicity curve of copper chloride with Nitella is sigmoid. An empirical equation can be constructed which will approximately fit the curve. 2. When the concentration of the copper chloride is varied the toxic effect varies as a constant, fractional, power of the concentration. This relation holds when the concentration is plotted against either (1) the time necessary to reach a given point on the ordinate of the survivor curve, (2) the maximum speed of toxic action as shown by the tangent to the survivor curve or (3) the first derivative of the equation which fits the survivor curve. 3. When the temperature is varied and the logarithm of the reciprocal of the time necessary to reach a given point on the survivor curves is plotted against the reciprocal of the absolute temperature the resulting figure consists of several intersecting curves. A hypothetical system is described which will give straight lines under normal conditions and curves when acted upon by a toxic agent.