Comparison of three microbial toxicity screening tests with the microtox test

• DOI: 10.1007/bf01611091
• Publication Date: 2005-05-13T14:55:45Z
• Authors: B. J. Dutka; K. K. Kwan
• Keywords: Screening test

A variety of test methods, criteria and procedures have been developed to assess the impact of chemical pollutants on aquatic biota. With the increasing awareness of the long term effects of many of those chemical pollutants, research efforts are being directed at short term bioassay tests, in an attempt to quickly alert dischargers as well as monitoring agencies of potential toxic conditions. One of the reasons for the time emphasis is that some effluents may be able to be stopped or contained for short periods for extra treatment, if necessary, but volume problems would make it unrealistic to attempt a 24-h much less a 96-h containment. Also by rapid assessment of changes in effluent quality, it may be possible to modify treatment before too great an environmental impact has occurred.