In the present study Ariel detergent was shown to affect various
activities in E. gracilis; however, the inhibitory effect was different
on different parameters. Motility of the cells was impaired whenexposed to the detergent for different exposure times. Motility of
E. gracilis is powered by a single flagellum. Detergents destroy
the plasmalemma of the flagellum and disorganize the flagellar
microtubules in E. gracilis and hence affect motility of the cell (Mikolajczyk
and Diehn, 1978).