title: Application of the Hydra attenuata assay for identifying developmental hazards among natural waters and wastewaters.
abstract: This study concerns application of the Hydra attenuata assay to detect the developmental toxicity potential of various aqueous samples. First, the assay was modified for testing aqueous samples because water quality has a major impact on aquatic toxicity testing and the results thus obtained. Ranges of sample pH, salinity (conductivity), and hardness were examined for their adverse effects upon the hydra. Adult hydra were unaffected morphologically by pH 5.5-9.5, and the artificial embryo ("embryo") developed normally in a pH range of 6.25 to 8.25. For water hardness, the minimal affective concentration was 1000 mg/liter (as CaCO3) in adults and 625 mg/liter in the embryos; the NOAELs for these were 750 mg/liter in the adult and 250 mg/liter CaCO3 in the embryo. Salinity in excess of 5 ppt was lethal to adults and embryos, indicating the assay may not be applicable to marine or highly saline samples. Finally, grab samples were tested from rivers in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, some of which are impacted by industrial and agricultural activities, as well as several samples of industrial wastewaters from one major facility. The assay functioned normally with these diverse samples and yielded results that can be used in assessing the potential developmental hazard of these materials.
authors.affiliation: Haskell Laboratory for Toxicology and Industrial Medicine, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Newark, Deleware 19714.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Staples
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Stahl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006829:Hydra / Q000187:drug effects*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012623:Seawater; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012965:Sodium Chloride