Insight into pollutant bioavailability and toxicity using Raman confocal microscopy.

Raman confocal microscopy was used to discriminate between cultures of Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 exposed to four different common environmental pollutants: phenanthrene, dodecane, 3-chlorobiphenyl and pentachlorophenol. Evidence is presented for the application of Raman spectroscopy as a bioassay for pollutant bioavailability and toxicity.