SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1988
STP26256S

A Rapid Bioassay Using the Green Alga to Screen for Toxicity in St. Lawrence River Sediment Elutriates

Source

A toxicity bioassay using the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum and measuring inhibition of photosynthetic carbon-14 (14C)-labeled carbon dioxide (14CO2) assimilation is described. The essential test specifications are the following:

(a) experimental vessels: 16-mL test tubes;

(b) exposure and incubation times: 20 h exposure plus 4 h incubation;

(c) dilution water: demineralized H2O;

(d) algal cell density: 1.9 × 105 cells mL−1;

(e) radioactivity: 0.072 µCi mL−1, as 14C-labeled sodium bicarbonate [Na2(H14CO3)2];

(f) nutrient enrichment: 1 mL of × 10 provisional algal assay procedure (PAAP) medium; and

(g) isotope partitioning: acidification and bubbling.

The resulting method is rapid, sensitive, and reliable (coefficient of variation < 10%) and is applied to elutriates of St. Lawrence River sediments in an ongoing research project.

Author Information

Ross, P
Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Il
Jarry, V
Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Sloterdijk, H
Inland Waters Directorate, Environment Canada, Longueuil, Québec, Canada
Price: $25.00
Contact Sales
Related
Reprints and Permissions
Reprints and copyright permissions can be requested through the
Copyright Clearance Center
Details
Developed by Committee: D19
Pages: 68–73
DOI: 10.1520/STP26256S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5057-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-1165-3