Aquatic toxicology comes of age

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5204497

At the symposium on aquatic toxicology, the topics discussed included the applications and principles of physiological toxicology, methodology and data, bioconcentration and the fate of chemicals in the environment. It was stated that the fish was most widely used as a test model in aquatic toxicology. Among the parameters measured to estimate toxicity were the cardiac, opercular (breathing) and cough rates. Fish monitored for these parameters could be turned into biological monitoring systems for the industrial monitoring of sublethal concentrations of toxicants. For example, in experiments in which channel catfish were exposed to sulfate concentration ranging from 0--3200 mg/l, it was found that the cough rate increased with increasing concentrations of sulfate, and that the increase preceded any other sign of stress. Another biomonitoring system used lyophilized luminescent bacteria as the sensors and the bacteria's light output as the measure of the toxicant. The formation of a Pesticide Task group was mentioned, and it was recommended that the group should assess the fate of pesticides in the aquatic environment.

• OSTI ID: 5204497
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 12:1; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550700 -- Microbiology
551000 -- Physiological Systems
560302 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENT
FISHES
LUMINESCENCE
MEETINGS
MICROORGANISMS
MONITORING
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
QUANTITY RATIO
RESPIRATION
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES