Test No. 202: Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test
“OECD 202” actually refers to the Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test, a standard laboratory procedure used to assess the short-term toxicity of chemicals to freshwater invertebrates like Daphnia.
Here's what you need to know about OECD 202:
What it does:
- Measures the acute (short-term) effects of a substance on the swimming ability of Daphnia.
- Young Daphnia (less than 24 hours old) are exposed to different concentrations of the test substance for 48 hours.
- The number of immobilized Daphnia at 24 and 48 hours is compared to a control group.
- The results are used to calculate the EC50 (effective concentration at which 50% of the Daphnia are immobilized).
Applications:
- Used to assess the environmental hazard of chemicals and products.
- Required for regulatory purposes in many countries.
- Important for understanding the potential impact of chemicals on freshwater ecosystems.
Key features:
- Relatively simple and inexpensive test.
- Standardized protocol ensures consistency and reproducibility of results.
- Can be modified to study specific chemicals or environmental conditions.
