Paramecium tetraurelia. Pre-screen for hazardous chemicals: a rapid-detector system for health hazards. Progress report

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6187790

Smith-Sonneborn, J

Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of dilutions of oil shale process waters from three different retorting processes were evaluated using the Paramecium tetraurelia and the Salmonella assays. Process waters from above-ground, true in situ, and modified retorting process were analyzed. Significant mutagenicity was detected in waste water from both the above-ground and true in situ retorting processes in both the Salmonella and Paramecium bioassays. The Salmonella assay required the addition of the rat liver S9 fraction; the Paramecium bioassay was more sensitive to genotoxic effects from an above-ground retort water without the addition of the rat liver fraction. Mutagenicity of the dilutions tested from the modified retort process was detected only in the Paramecium system. The waste water from the above-ground retort process was the most toxic to both the protozoan and bacteria. Since the chemical composition of oil shale process waters can vary with: 1) the retorting process used, 2) the temperature of the retorting, 3) the composition of the shale rock, and 4) the sampling and storage procedures, the differences in biological activity observed between water can reflect differences in water contamination.

• Research Organization: Wyoming Univ., Laramie (USA). Dept. of Zoology and Physiology
• DOE Contract Number: AS02-77EV04477
• OSTI ID: 6187790
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/04477-2; ON: DE81025884
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040700 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Health & Safety
041000 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Environmental Aspects
560302* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
560304 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Invertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BACTERIA
BIOASSAY
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CILIATA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
LIQUID WASTES
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
MUTAGEN SCREENING
MUTAGENESIS
OIL SHALES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARAMECIUM
PROTOZOA
SALMONELLA
SCREENING
TOXICITY
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER