COAL-CONVERSiON GASIFIER CONDENSATE 



211 



pellicular and plasma membranes. For all concentrations tested, the 

 first cytological indication of alteration was observed in the first 

 15 min, during which time there was a marked increase in the 

 electron density of the mitochondrial matrixes (Fig. 4). The in- 

 creased matrix density remained unaltered over the 6-hr test period 

 in toxicant concentrations as low as 1% (Fig. 4a). 



Disruption of the cellular membranes occurred concomitantly 

 with mitochondrial alteration. Initially the pellicular membrane split 

 or separated (Fig. 4b), and the disruption of the plasma membrane 

 and cell lysis, which followed, were directly related to the concentra- 

 tion of the toxicant and the length of exposure, at least up to 

 ~240 min. An indirect indication of lysis was the presence of cellular 













fe 





(b) 



Fig. 3 Electron micrographs of Tetrahymena pyriformis, strain 

 GL-C (3- to 4-day-old cultures), (a) Section of a portion of a control 

 cell showing cilium (C); pellicle (P); mitochondria (M), with tubular 

 cristae and granular matrices; electron-dense glycogen stores (GS); 

 and a segment of the macronucleus (N) (16,000X ). (b) Higher 

 magnification of the periphery of a control cell revealing pellicular 

 membrane organization, a mitochondrion, and mature mucocysts 

 (MC) with internal crystalline lattice (16,400X ). 



