Effect of (C6H5)3PbCl and (C6H5)3SnCl on delayed luminescence intensity, evolving oxygen and electron transport rate in photosystem II of Chlorella vulgaris.

The effect of the organometallic compounds containing lead, (C6H5)3PbCl , and tin, (C6H5)3SnCl, on Chlorella green algae photosystem II was studied. Suspension of the algae treated with (C6H5)3SnCl at concentrations of 1.0 and 4.0 micromol dm(-3) for 22 h revealed a decrease in most physiological parameters studied, particularly in decasecond component of delayed chlorophyll luminescence, photosynthetic electron transport rate and diluted oxygen concentration, which implies an inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport as well as oxygen evolving system. On the other hand, (C6H5)3PbCl caused stronger inhibition than (C6H5)3SnCl, particularly in the higher concentration.