Scholarly record
MICROBIOTESTS VERSUS CONVENTIONAL TOXICITY TESTS
Abstract
Alternative toxicological tests (microbiotests) are those that reduce the number of animals in a toxicity test, refine procedures to make them less painful or stressful, replace animals with non-animal systems, or replace one animal species with another that is lower on the phylogenetic scale. A number of useful alternative methods have been developed and accepted for the evaluation of the potential toxic effects of chemicals products and environment samples. The literature analysis concerning the use of microbiotests for the control of chemicals products and environmental samples, show that these are in full development because of environmental pollution monitoring and control increasingly complexity requirements and in the same time to comply the necessity of new experimental methodology with low cost and reduced complexity, but with relevant, reproducible and qualitative results. To be conform to the new requirements impose by the European Regulation REACH concerning chemicals registrationv, assessment, authorization and restriction, we have analyzed the possibility to reduce / replace the biotests which use fish with microbiotests which use bacteria (Vibrio fischeri sp.), crustacean (Daphnia magna sp.) and algae (Selenastrum capricornutum sp.). This paper presents some comparative testing studies performed for environmental sample and chemicals using both conventional toxicity tests with fish and alternative tests - microbiotest. The results obtained have lead to conclusion that the use of microbiotests are very practical and offer a good reproducibility and relevant results, but also is not recommended to renounce definitively to the conventional toxicity tests with vertebrate organisms (ex. fish) because these represent the principal target of pollution. The toxicity tests with vertebrate have an important role in risk assessment, where can be use in combination with microbiotests. The use of the multi - species microbiotest battery, which can offer relevant answers concerning the chemicals / chemical products / environmental samples risk, may lead to an economical and readily assessment of acute and chronic toxicity.
Publication details
References15
Jenny Gabrielson “Assesing the toxic impact of chemicals using bacteria“, Stockholm 2004
J.G.M. Derksen, “Microbiotest, possibilities and limitation” - Aqua Sense Amsterdam, 2002;
REACH - Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals;
OECD methods concerning chemicals ecotoxicological characteristics in conformity with 67/548/EEC Directive, Annexa V, Part C;
Persoone, Glidation,” Development and first validation of toxkit microbiotestes with invertebrates, in particular Crustaceans”, Reprint from: „Microscale testing in aquatic toxicology”, P.G.Wells, K.Lee, C. Blaise (eds). CRC Lewis Publishers, pag.437 - 449, 1998b;
EPA - „Method for aquatic toxicity identification evaluation - Phase I, Toxicity Characterization Procedures” United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington DC, United States, 1985;
EPA - „Method for aquatic toxicity identification evaluation - Phase II, Toxicity identification procedures” , United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
Washington DC, United States, 1988;
EPA - „Method for aquatic toxicity identification evaluation - Phase III, Toxicity confirmation procedures” , United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
Washington DC, United States, 1989a;
G.O no. 1408/2008 concerning the classification, labeling and packing of dangerous chemicals;
Persoone, G., Janssen, C., and De Coen, W. 2000a. New Microbiotests for Routine Toxicity Screening and Monitoring. A practical and user-friendly toxicity classification system with microbiotests for natural waters and wastewaters. In: G.
Persoone, C. Janssen and W. De Coen (eds) New Microbiotests for Routine Toxicity Screening and Monitoring, 395.402;
Lucaciu I., Gheorghe S., Stanescu E., Cuciureanu A.„Ecological risk assessment generated by industrial wastewater discharges on Olt river”, INCD ECOIND Bucharest.
Gheorghe S., Lucaciu I., Petre J, Grumaz R.,“Environmental risk assessment methodologies to establish the ecotoxicological effects of pharmaceutically active substances on aquatic organisms”, INCD ECOIND Bucharest.
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.