Detecting hormesis using a non-parametric rank test.
When a dose-response experiment is conducted, the enhanced responses can be observed at low doses. This phenomenon is often called hormesis. The enhanced responses at low doses does not necessarily mean the existence of hormesis. It is important to conduct statistical analyses to determine whether a departure from monotonic relationships is significantly different from the chance occurrence. This paper introduces a non-parametric rank test to detect hormesis. To illustrate the use of this method, we apply it to the data from a Whole Effluent Toxicity test. We demonstrate that the occurrence of hormesis can be statistically evaluated by using this non-parametric rank test.
Deng
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C
Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Ohio 45267-0056, USA.
Zhao
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Q
Shukla
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R
D000818:Animals; D003621:Daphnia / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000633:toxicity
D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D015262:Xenobiotics; D014867:Water