Specialty Toxicity Testing
EnviroScience toxicologist can customize study plans to meet numerous requirements for specialty projects. ES biologists have experience culturing and testing with many different species of freshwater, saltwater, and sediment based organisms that can be successfully utilized to meet the requirements of any project.
Sediment Toxicity Testing
Sediment testing measures toxins in the sediment that could harm the sediment dwelling organisms, Chironomus dilutes and Hyallella azateca. ES follows USEPA and ASTM methods to test the quality of sediment from your site. Behavior is monitored daily including sediment avoidance and mortality.
Endpoints are provided pertaining to mortality and growth of the organisms compared to a control group in laboratory manufactured sediment. Tests are typically short-term chronic (10 days) or chronic (28 days) but can be customized.
Elutriate Testing
Elutriate testing identifies harmful toxins in the sediment that can affect organisms that live in the water column. Procedures for elutriate testing follow the US EPA dredged materials manual and organisms are exposed for an acute or chronic time dependent upon desired endpoints. ES mixes sediment with laboratory water to solubilize components present in the sediment and determine if they impact aquatic organisms.
Product Testing
Product testing is used to determine aquatic toxicity data for Material Safety Data Sheets or to apply for an ecologically friendly certification to put on the product’s label (EcoLogo). Numerous methods and species can be utilized dependent upon your required endpoints. Common product testing species include, Ceriodaphnia dubia (water flea), Daphnia magna (water flea), Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow), Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout), and Selenastrum capricornutum (green alga). Other species may be located for your specific needs.
EnviroScience can follow different guidance documents to fit the type of product. A water accommodated fraction can be used to determine information on oil based products.
Biodegradation
EnviroScience is exploring offering Biodegradation analyses by measuring the amount of carbon dioxide or oxygen utilitized by microbes in accordance with new ASTM methods recently approved.
