Assessment of Ecotoxicological Impacts

The present study primarily limits to toxicity studies on some animal models. One of the well referred pioneer work dates back to that of Duodroff et al. (1951), in which acute toxicity impacts of industrial wastes on fishes were accounted. For designing experiments, principles to be based on are accounted in the book of Frederick Sperling (1984). Log-probit analysis (Sprague 1971 and Finney 1971 vide Datta, 1996), applied for bioassay studies like LC₅₀ or LD₅₀ assessment, can be programmed in computer (Datta and Sinha 1987 and Datta 1996). Toxicity studies in aquatic systems can be arranged as static bioassay or flow-.system bioassay. Comparative studies of acute and chronic toxicity are in reports per se. Quantal effects are recorded simultaneously. Behavioural changes due to toxic exposure are also recorded.

Depending on the doses toxicity thresholds are designed as slightly toxic, moderately toxic, etc. Impacts of toxicity are recorded at histopathological, biochemical and genetic levels. Genotoxic studies were earlier recorded by chromosomal changes at different stages of cell cycle, depending on the specimen. Such studies at DNA level are nowa- days conducted by Comet assay. Biomonitoring studies can also be another measure.