Study on the toxicity of binary equitoxic mixtures of metals using the luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri as a biological target

Results from two mathematical approaches to predict the toxicity of all the possible binary equitoxic mixtures of Co, Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb were compared to the observed toxicity of these mixtures to Vibrio fischeri bacteria. Combined effect of the metals was found to be antagonistic for Co–Cd, Cd–Zn, Cd–Pb and Cu–Pb, synergistic for Co–Cu and Zn–Pb and merely additive in other cases, revealing a complex pattern of possible interactions. Besides, Cd appears much less toxic to the bacterial model than to animal cells. The synergistic effect of the Co–Cu combination and the strong lowering of Pb toxicity in the presence of Cd deserve much attention when establishing environmental safety regulations.