Iron-Ion Concentration in Relation to Growth and Other Biological Processes

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Abstract
Studies on the growth of Chlorella sp. in culture solutions containing Fe salts with Na- or K-citrate in many different combinations indicate that Fe is effective physiologically in the form of its ions. The total soluble Fe may vary within wide limits and still have the same effect, either on growth or toxicity, providing the Fe-ion concentration is the same. Certain observations point to the fact that some sp. of bacteria behave similarly. The effect of citrates on growth in solutions containing a constant amount of total Fe is paralleled by their effect on the relative Fe-ion concentration as determined by chemical tests. A theory relating Fe-ion concentration to growth based on complex ion formation has been developed which makes clear many problems involved in culture solution work, in the field and in biological phenomena in general. The Fe-ion concentration necessary for the growth of Chlorella is small. A provisional value at which growth may just take place has been calculated to be 1.47X10-6 gm. ions. The Fe-ion concentration may play an important role in many physiological processes, especially those involving cell metabolism such as biological oxidations, and these processes should be reconsidered in their relation to the Fe-ion concentration rather than to the total Fe.

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