A bioassay application for quantitative toxicity measurements, using the green algae Selenastrum capricornutum
Abstract
This method, for use in the laboratory, requires a sample of only one litre, and is based on the measurement of growth inhibition of the unicellular alga Selenastrum capricornutum Printz. The assay involves making several dilutions in triplicate, enriching them with a known quantity of nutrients, and then introducing algae and incubating them until they reach the maximum standing crop. The resulting biomass is then compared with the theoretical biomass for each concentration, and the observed percentages of growth inhibition are plotted on "log-probit" graph paper to obtain the straight line of toxicity and from that the value of IC 50 (the concentration which inhibits algae growth by 50%); this value enables us to obtain an absolute measure of toxicity, expressed as a number of toxic units.
- Publication:
-
Water Research
- Pub Date:
- 1980
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0043-1354(80)90111-6
- Bibcode:
- 1980WatRe..14.1759J