SEDL / STP / STP1333-EB / STP12154S

Establishment of Quality Assurance Procedures for Aquatic Toxicity Testing with the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Freeman, MN
Research Associate, Graduate Student, and Associate Professor, Environmental Health Science Program, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Marse, TJ
Research Associate, Graduate Student, and Associate Professor, Environmental Health Science Program, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Williams, PL
Research Associate, Graduate Student, and Associate Professor, Environmental Health Science Program, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Pages: 16    Published: Jan 1998

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Abstract

In this study initial data were generated to develop laboratory control charts for aquatic toxicity testing using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Tests were performed using two reference toxicants: CdCl² and CuCl². All tests were performed for 24 h without a food source and for 48 h with a food source in a commonly used nematode aquatic medium. Each test was replicated 6 times with each replicate having 6 wells per concentration with 10±1 worms per well. Probit analysis was used to estimate LC⁵⁰ values for each test. The data were used to construct a mean (¯x) laboratory control chart for each reference toxicant. The coefficient of variation (CV) for three of the four reference toxicant tests was less than 20%, which demonstrates an excellent degree of reproducibility. These CV values are well within suggested standards for determination of organism sensitivity and overall test system credibility. A standardized procedure for performing 24 h and 48 h aquatic toxicity studies with C. elegans is proposed.