Abstract
We isolated the luminous bacterium Vibrio phosphoreum H1 as a tool for education in radiation safety. It emits strong and steady luminescence. It is nonpathogenic, cannot be grown under normal low-salt conditions, and can be handled without any special equipment or reagents. We can cultivate it on a desk at room temperature, and can use a home-made broth containing a high salt concentration. Heat treatment at 37°C kills the bacterium, leading to its loss of luminescence. Although X-ray irradiation clearly kills it as the exposure dose increases, luminescence remains intact for some time, suggesting a delayed appearance of the biological effect of radiation exposure. We showed that the luminous bacterium Vibrio phosphoreum H1 can be used as a tool for teaching and learning about the effects of radiation. We proposed a practical plan that can be employed at high schools as well as universities.
