Daphnia 48-H acute toxicity test

This test, along with the fish 96-h acute toxicity test, is one of the standbys in aquatic toxicology. Daphnia magna and D. pulex are the common test species. D. magna require a relatively hard water for its culture. They are large, 

Sodium pentachlorophenate (NaPCP) is the reference toxicant that has been suggested for toxicity tests using daphnids. The use of a reference toxicant is important in confirming the health of the daphnia and the quality of the water and test methodology. 

One of the most controversial aspects of this test has been the food source during the study. A number of mixtures have been tried with interesting results. A mixture of trout chow and algae has been demonstrated to provided excellent growth, but there are concerns about the consistency of the 

Comparison of the D. magna 48-h Acute Toxicity Test with the common D. magna Chronic Toxicity or Partial Life-Cycle Test 

Test Type Chronic (Partial Life Cycle) Acute 48 h 

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