Earthworm coelomocyte phagocytosis: An in vitro assay for terrestrial toxicity identification evaluation

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:367532

Burch, S W; Goven, A J; Fitzpatrick, L C ^[1]; Venables, B J ^[2]; Callahan, C A ^[3]

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1. Univ. of North Texas, Denton, TX (United States). Dept. of Biological Sciences
2. TRAC Labs., Inc., Denton, TX (United States)
3. Environmental Protection Agency, San Francisco, CA (United States)

An in vitro assay has been developed for rapid (48 h) evaluation of cytotoxic effects of exposure (24 h) of earthworm coelomocytes. The assay, inhibition of phagocytosis (24 h) of stained yeast cells and cell viability, links a traditional soil bioassay organism (Lumbricus terrestris) with a laboratory protocol for use in evaluating physical/chemical fractions resulting from terrestrial TIE manipulations. The assay was developed using copper sulfate as a reference toxicant. Copper exposures as low as 2--4 pg/ml. resulted in 20--60% inhibition of phagocytosis without significant decrease in cell viability. Exposures above 10 pg/ml resulted in reduced cell viability and inhibition of phagocytosis. The assay was successfully applied to terrestrial TIE fractions derived from extractions of soil from a PCP contaminated wood treatment site.

• OSTI ID: 367532
• Report Number(s): CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANNELIDS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BIOASSAY
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
COPPER
LAND POLLUTION
PHAGOCYTOSIS
TOXICITY