CORRELATION BETWEEN THE INVITRO CYTOTOXICITY TO CULTURED FATHEAD MINNOW FISH CELLS AND FISH LETHALITY DATA FOR 50 CHEMICALS

Neutral red uptake inhibition was investigated as an alternative method for the assessment of ecotoxicity. The 50 chemicals tested include different kinds of inorganic compounds and organic compounds such as alcohols, acids, ketones, esters, and others. The xenobiotics were applied at different concentrations to cultured FHM (fathead minnow fish) cells. After 2 hours contact time neutral Ted uptake inhibition was measured. The results are expressed as the NI50 value, which is the concentration of test compound required to induce a 50% reduction in neutral red uptake. The NI50 values were compared with fish lethality data (LC50) obtained in golden orfe by Juhnke and Ludemann (1978). A false positive cytotoxic result was observed for 1,4-dioxane. For the remainder 49 chemicals a correlation coefficient r=0.89 was found. Hence it appears that the neutral red uptake inhibition in cultured fish cells can be considered as a valuable tool for in vitro ecotoxicity testing of a wide variety of chemicals.