BIOL3410

TOXICITY
 Acute/Chronic toxicity
Factors Acute Chronic
Exposure One-time Continuous
Concentration Higher Lower
Effect Lethal Sub-lethal
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC,
POAEC, MATC
 Why do toxicity tests?
 Can see immediate responses to the toxicant
 A rapid (saves time), cost-efficient measure
 Can assess the single dose/concentration limit
of tolerance to a toxin
 Comparative toxicity of chemicals
 Comparative tolerance / sensitivity of different
taxa and life stages
 Comparison of water quality factors
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

10% Effect Concentration

 Concentration at which 10% of the
organisms exhibit an effect of the
chemical
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

No Observed Adverse Effect Level

(NOAEL)
 The largest dose causing neither
observed tissue toxicity nor undesirable
physiological effects, such as sedation,
seizures or weight loss
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

No toxic effect level (NTEL)

 The largest dose in the most sensitive
species in a toxicology study of a
given duration which produced no
observed toxic effect
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

No observed effect level (NOEL)

 The threshold for producing any
observed toxic effect
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

Least/Lowest Observed Adverse

Effect Concentration (LOAEC)
 The lowest concentration of a substance that
causes an adverse alteration of morphology,
function, capacity, growth, development, or
lifespan of a target organism
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

Pronounced Observed Adverse Effect

Concentration (POAEC)
 The concentration of a substance that causes an
adverse alteration of morphology, function,
capacity, growth, development, or lifespan in >
or =50% of the population of a target organism
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

Maximum acceptable toxicant

concentration(MATC)
 The geometric mean between the NOEC and
the LOEC.
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

Lethal Dose (LD10, LD50 ,LD95)

 The amount (dose) of a substance
that causes the death of 10, 50 or 95%
of a sample population of a test
organism.
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

Lethal Dose (LC10, LC50 ,LC95)

 The concentration of a substance that
causes the death of 10, 50 or 95% of a
sample population of a test organism.
 Toxicity Measures
Factors Acute Chronic
Estimates LD50, LC50, LT50 EC10, NOAEL,
LOAEC, POAEC,
MATC

Lethal Dose (LT10, LT50 ,LT95)

 The time required for a fixed dose or
concentration of a substance to cause
the death of 10, 50 or 95% of a sample
population of a test organism.
 Toxicity Measures
Species composition

Species richness

Species abundance
 Routes of exposure
Uptake may be via diffusion and
consumption of food
The skin and gills have a rich blood
supply so toxins which penetrate the
skin may be rapidly transported
throughout the body
 Effects of exposure
Once in the body there is:
 Absorption and distribution of toxin
in organisms
 Metabolism and excretion
 Bioaccumulation and
biomagnification
Partitioning (Toxicokinetics)
 Toxic Effects
Mortality / survival
Growth inhibition
Inhibition of Development
Reproduction (fecundity)
Feeding processes (inhibition)
Behaviour (Avoidance reactions, loss
of balance etc.)
 Response to toxicant
To limit the amount of chemical
hitting the target organs
Toxic chemicals may be removed
from circulation and stored in body
tissue
Toxic chemicals may be metabolized
 Uptake of Endosulfan by
Tilapia
0.7

0.6

0.5
Concentration (µg/g)

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
TIME (hours)

Alpha Endosulfan Beta Endosulfan

 Uptake of Endosulfan by
Tilapia
0.7

0.6

0.5
Concentration (µg/g)

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
TIME (hours)

Endosulfan Lactone Endosulfan Sulfate

Elimination of Endosulfan
by Tilapia
0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5
Concentration (µg/g)

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
TIME (hours)

Alpha Endosulfan Beta Endosulfan

Elimination of Endosulfan
by Tilapia
0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5
Concentration (µg/g)

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
TIME (hours)

Endosulfan Lactone Endosulfan Sulfate

 Tissue Partitioning
45

40

35

30
Concentration (µg/g)

25

20

15

10

0
SMB Gills Gut Liver Gonads
Fish Tissue
Alpha Endosulfan Beta Endosulfan
 Tissue Partitioning
20

18

16

14
Concentration (µg/g)

12

10

0
SMB Gills Gut Liver Gonads
Fish Tissue
Endosulfan Lactone Endosulfan Sulfate
 Bioaccumulation/
Biomagnification
 Bioaccumulation is the gradual
accumulation of substances in an
organism
 Biomagnification is the process by which
a substance/compound increases its
concentration in the tissues of organisms
as it travels up the food
 Bioassays
 Biological assessments: used to assess the
adverse effects of a chemical on living
organisms under standardized,
reproducible conditions
 Laboratory-oriented and focus on direct
toxic effects which may be used to
estimate indirect toxic effects or make
comparisons
 Bioassays
 For aquatic toxicology, need test
organisms, toxicant(s), medium of
exposure e.g. water
 Dose-response or concentration-
response relationship is noted
 Bioassays
 Involve the exposure phase; the uptake,
distribution, metabolism and
elimination phase and the biological
response phase in which the toxicant
reacts with the receptor site to produce
its effects.
 Bioassays
Test substance/chemical (Pollutant)

Test organism

Method of exposure

Data analysis (Corrected mortality and

Probits)
 Probit Analysis
 A Probit analysis is a statistical tool used
to calculate lethal
dose/concentration/time values (e.g.
LC50 etc.)
 Calculations of the probits, regression
coefficient, and confidence intervals may
be manual e.g. by Finney’s method
 Probit Analysis
 By statistical software e.g. SPSS, POLO,
LeOra Software to do all the calculations
 The lethal value, slope and fiducial limits
give important comparative toxicological
information about the test organisms and
the toxicant
Data Treatment and Analysis
90

80

70

60
Concentration that
Mortality

50
kills 90% of the
40 population

30

20

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Concentration (mg/L)
Concentration that
Concentration that kills 50% of the
kills 10% of the population
population
 Measures of toxicity
LC10 - Concentration that results in the
death of 10% of the population

LC50 - Concentration that results in the

death of 50% of the population

LC95 - Concentration that results in the

death of 95% of the population
 Measures of toxicity
LD50 - Dose that results in the death
of 50% of the population

LT50 - Time required for a fixed

concentration to kill 50% of
the population
Presenting the results
Acute
Fiducial Limit
Toxicity Conc. mg/L Slope
95%

LC10 1.6 0.6 – 2.2

LC50 4.8 2.6 – 7.2 12.9 ± 2.9

LC95 12.3 10.6 – 18.4