Standard Guide for Conducting Static Toxicity Tests with Microalgae

Importancia y uso:

5.1 Tests with algae provide information on the toxicity of test materials to an important component of the aquatic biota and might indicate whether additional testing (2) is desirable. Specific testing procedures under various regulatory jurisdictions follow procedures similar to those described in this Guide (3, 4). Users should consult with any specific regulatory requirements to determine the applicability and consistency of this standard with such requirements.

5.2 Algae are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, where they incorporate solar energy into biomass, produce oxygen, function in nutrient cycling and serve as food for animals. Because of their ecological importance, sensitivity to many toxicants, ready availability, ease of culture, and fast growth rates (rendering it possible to conduct a multi-generation test in a short period of time), algae are often used in toxicity testing.

5.3 Results of algal toxicity tests might be used to compare the sensitivities of different species of algae and the toxicities of different materials to algae and to study the effects of various environmental factors on results of such tests.

5.4 Results of algal toxicity tests might be an important consideration when assessing the hazards of materials to aquatic organisms (See Guide E1023) or deriving water quality criteria for aquatic organisms (5).

5.5 Results of algal toxicity tests might be useful for studying biological availability of, and structure-activity relationships between, test materials.

5.6 Results of algal toxicity tests will depend on the temperature, composition of the growth medium, and other factors. These tests are conducted in solutions that contain concentrations of salts, minerals, and nutrients that greatly exceed those in most surface waters. These conditions may over- or under-estimate the effects of the test material if discharged to surface waters.

Subcomité:

E50.47

Referida por:

E1415-22, E1733-22, E1850-04R19, E1023-23

Volúmen:

11.09

Número ICS:

07.100.20 (Microbiology of water)

Palabras clave:

algae; algal-toxicity testing; aquatic plants; aquatic toxicity testing; microalgae;