A Note on the Recognition of Pollution Stress in Populations of Estuarine Bacteria

Abstract
Water samples were collected from the Humber estuary at a site subject to pollution by metal refinery effluent. Vmax/bacterium for glucose mineralization, the percentage of glucose uptake by bacteria which was mineralized (%R) and dissolved copper concentrations were measured. Vmax/bacterium was negatively correlated with copper concentration and might be of use as an indicator of pollution stress. %R was not related to copper concentration and was not suitable as an indicator of pollution stress at this site.