|
(238) Assessment of environmental samples from Buenos Aires metropolitan area by means of AMPHITOX. Herkovits, J.1, Perez-Coll, C.1, Herkovits, F.1, 1 ABSTRACT- The toxicity of 34 environmental samples providing from potentially polluted and reference stations were evaluated by means of the AMPHITOX test (amphibian embryos), based on lethality data. The samples were obtained from surface and ground water, leaches, industrial effluents and soils; all of them except surface water were provided to our facility as coded samples. For the samples with higher toxicity, acute and short-term chronic data were obtained, while for the less toxic samples, short-term chronic and chronic data were reported; the results were expressed in acute and chronic Toxicity Units (TUa, TUc). The maximal value of toxicity, 1000 TUc, was found in a leach sample (the maximal chronic toxicity value recommended for industrial effluents by U.S.EPA is 1 TUc), while the samples with the lower toxicity registered, 1,4 TUa, corresponded to 2 surface water samples. In 5 samples (4 providing from reference places) no toxicity was detected. The results point out the possibility to evaluate the toxicity of a wide range of samples with different physicochemical features, source and toxicity with amphibian embryos by means of AMPHITOX as a standardised toxicity test which allow a customised approach according to the toxicity of the sample to be evaluated. The fact that almost all samples with suspected toxicity from rivers and streams from the Metropolitan area of Buenos Aires city resulted toxic, is indicating an urgent need of enhanced stewardship of chemical substances for environmental and human health protection purposes. Key words: AMPHITOX, toxicity test, amphibian embryos, environmental pollution |
