Invertebrates, aquatic toxicity testing

Aquatic invertebrate acute toxicity, test, freshwater daphnids... 

Predictive value of aquatic toxicity testing with additional invertebrate species (K. Barrett, Huntingdon Life Sciences, UK)... 

Many aquatic toxicity tests have found that the acute or chronic effect being tested did not occur at the maximum concentration of HCB that can be dissolved in water. The predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) in water, considering the effects of exposure on aquatic plants, invertebrates, and fish, is 0.37 micrograms per liter [104]. 

Ecological Effects Test Guidelines OPPTS 850.1010 Aquatic Invertebrate Acute Toxicity Test, Freshwater Daphnids, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, 1996. 

Johnson, W.W. and M.T. Finley. 1980. Handbook of Acute Toxicity of Chemicals to Fish and Aquatic Invertebrates. Summaries of Toxicity Tests Conducted at Columbia National Fisheries Research Laboratory, 1965-78. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Resour. Publ. 137. 98 pp. 

Phipps, G.L. and G.W. Holcombe. 1985. A method for aquatic multiple species toxicant testing acute toxicity of 10 chemicals to 5 vertebrates and 2 invertebrates. Environ. Pollut. 38A 1,41-157. 

The biological approach (whole effluent) to toxics control for the protection of aquatic life involves the use of acute and chronic toxicity tests to measure the toxicity of wastewaters. Whole effluent tests (WET) employ the use of standardized, surrogate freshwater or marine (depending on the mixture of effluent and receiving water) plants (algae), invertebrates, and vertebrates. 

Stephenson, R.R. (1982) Aquatic toxicity of cypermethrin. I. Acute toxicity to some freshwater fish and invertebrates in laboratory tests. Aquatic Toxicology 2, 175-185. 

Due to concerns over potential exposure of aquatic organisms to NP, a number of acute and chronic toxicity tests have been conducted for both freshwater and saltwater species of invertebrates, fish, and aquatic plants. NP is considered an endocrine dis-ruptor chemical and induces production of vitellogenin in male rainbow trout, a process that normally occurs only in female fish in response to estrogenic hormones during the reproductive cycle. NP also induces precocious development of ovaries and an intersex condition in some fish species. 

There are two basic types of aquatic single-species toxicity tests acute and chronic. Acute toxicity tests have been the workhorse of aquatic toxicologists for many years. These tests are relatively simple, take little time, and are cost-effective. A large historical database exists for many chemicals and effluents. Acute toxicity tests are most often used to quickly screen toxicity or to determine the relative sensitivities of different test species. Mortality is the effect monitored during the test duration of 48 h (invertebrates) or 96 h (fish). In a typical acute toxicity test, 5-10 organisms are exposed under static conditions in glass test beakers to five test concentrations. A control is included. The experiments with test concentrations and control are conducted in triplicate. Daily observations are made on survival, and dead organisms are removed. 

QSARs for the prediction of toxicity to aquatic organisms, including fish, invertebrates and algae, are relatively well developed for a broad range of chemical classes. More than 100 SARs for 55 chemical classes are available in a free, downloadable model called ECOSAR from the EPA website, based on test data and assumptions from test data. Aquatic toxicity endpoints include reproduction, growth and mortality, such as acute toxicity to fish, invertebrates, and algae. The PBT Profiler also estimates chronic toxicity to fish by means of the ECOSAR model it compares the fish chronic value to maximum water solubility, in order to estimate potential for aquatic risk. 

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