ARTOXKIT M kit is a bioassay based on Artemia salina used for screening toxicity in saline water samples (marine and estuarine waters). Although Artemia is not found in estuaries or in the sea (for ecological reasons it has retracted into waters with high salinity), it is one of the most euryhaline marine species.

Each ARTOXKIT M contains all the (disposable) materials to perform six complete screening toxicity tests or five bioassays and one quality control test with a reference toxicant (dichromate).

Using larvae of the brine shrimp Artemia hatched from cysts (dormant eggs), an acute toxicity test is executed in 24 hours, the bioassay is performed in a multiwell test plate.

Applications:

• Investigation of source of toxicity in chemical mixtures and environmental samples.
• Acute screening chemicals detection.
• Detection of natural toxins in foodstuffs and in pharmaceuticals.
• Studies of models of toxic action of substances.
• Studies of the trophic transfer of pollutants.

Advantages:

• Easy to execute.
• The repeatability of the toxicity test is very high.
• Kit contains standard test materials, dilution water and reference cysts.
• Cysts can be stored in dry conditions at room temperature for at least six months without losing their viability.
• The only equipment needed is an incubator (25ºC), a dissection microscope and conventional laboratory glassware.

Content:

• Stock culture vial, micropipettes for the transfer of the larvae, tubes with reconstitution medium, stock dilution, multiwell test plate and reference toxicant.
• Detailed and abbreviated protocols, data and calculation sheets.
• Specification sheet with batch number of the cysts, the concentrated salt solutions and the reference toxicant.

ARTOXKIT short test protocol.