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REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF MARINE ALGAL TOXICITY TESTING IN THE UNITED STATES
Citation:
Thursby, G., B. Anderson, G. Walsh, AND R. Steele. REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF MARINE ALGAL TOXICITY TESTING IN THE UNITED STATES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-93/309 (NTIS PB93229318).
Description:
Algal toxicity testing is not new, but only within the past few years have data from such testing been used to help set standards for allowable contamination. arly toxicity testing with marine algae used a few planktonic species with inhibition of growth as the primary endpoint. esults obtained from these algal tests established a reputation for insensitivity to toxicants relative to animals. ork with vegetative growth of marine seaweeds from intertidal areas also led to conclusions of insensitivity to toxicants. ased on this reputation, marine algae as a group have been considered nonessential for assessing effects of pollutants on the marine environment. ithin the past five years, tests with different species of microalgae and reproductive tests with marine macroalgae have come into wider use. hese new species and test method endpoints have shown that plants can be more sensitive to toxicants than some of the most sensitive marine animals. t has been proposed recently that the saltwater "Criterion Continuous Concentration" for water quality criteria documents for thallium and acenaphthene be set with reproductive data from the kelp, Laminaria saccharina; which was the most chronically sensitive species tested for both chemicals. lant tests also are now being required for some National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for the marine environment.