We are pleased to share the poster made by our aquatic ecotoxicology study directors.
Standardized toxicological tests are essential for assessing the intrinsic hazard of chemicals to aquatic organisms. While established test designs are effective for stable, water-soluble substances, they often fall short when applied to chemicals with challenging physico-chemical properties. In alignment with the 3R animal welfare principles, we are facing an increasing demand for Fish
Embryo Toxicity (FET) tests (OECD TG 236) [1].
The chemicals tested are often difficult test substances. One group of difficult substances are volatile compounds which could not be reliably tested using standardized 24-well polystyrene plates due to significant losses during exposure. This limitation prompted us to develop an adapted test design.
Guided by existing recommendations for testing difficult substances (OECD 23 [2] and ISO 14442 [3]), our approach focuses on improving exposure consistency while maintaining practicality, cost-effectiveness, and multipurpose suitability for a range of challenging substances. We have used PTFE-capped screw-cap glass vials, providing an inert and closed alternative to the commonly used polystyrene 24-well plates or impractical single small petri dishes. We are currently evaluating the versatility of the system for a range of test substances, focusing on substances that challenge conventional set-ups such as volatile, adsorbing substances or cases where the plate material itself may interfere with total organic carbon (TOC) analysis.
