title: Alternative methods for toxicity assessments in fish: comparison of the fish embryo toxicity and the larval growth and survival tests in zebrafish and fathead minnows.
abstract: An increased demand for chemical toxicity evaluations has resulted in the need for alternative testing strategies that address animal welfare concerns. The fish embryo toxicity (FET) test developed for zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one such alternative, and the application of the FET test to other species such as the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) has been proposed. In the present study, the performances of the FET test and the larval growth and survival (LGS; a standard toxicity testing method) test in zebrafish and fathead minnows were evaluated. This required that testing methods for the fathead minnow FET and zebrafish LGS tests be harmonized with existing test methods and that the performance of these testing strategies be evaluated by comparing the median lethal concentrations of 2 reference toxicants, 3,4-dicholoraniline and ammonia, obtained via each of the test types. The results showed that procedures for the zebrafish FET test can be adapted and applied to the fathead minnow. Differences in test sensitivity were observed for 3,4-dicholoraniline but not ammonia; therefore, conclusions regarding which test types offer the least or most sensitivity could not be made. Overall, these results show that the fathead minnow FET test has potential as an alternative toxicity testing strategy and that further analysis with other toxicants is warranted in an effort to better characterize the sensitivity and feasibility of this testing strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA; Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Marlo K Sellin
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jeffries
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Stultz
authors.forename: Austin W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rawlings
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Belanger
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Oris
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000254:growth & development; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants; D000641:Ammonia
keywords: Animal alternative; Fathead minnow; Fish embryo toxicity test; Larval growth and survival test; Zebrafish