Bioluminescent Dinoflagellate Assay for Detecting Toxicity in Coastal Waters

摘要

Many marine phytoplankton have the ability to produce bioluminescence, a visibleblue light, as part of their daily physiological process. The ecological role that dinoflagellates play (primary producers) makes them ideal for laboratory use as they are unicellulan photosynthetic, and sensitive to toxicants. The QwikLite bioassay system has recently been developed to measure the light output from bioluminescent dinoflagellates for assessment of toxic effects when exposed to many chemicals, either individually or in compounds effluents and antifoulant coatings. Successful bioassays of this type have provided data on acute response as well as chronic effects (from 3 hours up to 11 days) on two species of dinoflagellate, Pyrocystis lunula, and Gony-aulax polyedra.