ESTIMATION OF TOXICITY USING CULTURED MAMMALIAN-CELLS OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS RECOVERED FROM LAKE BIWA

Cultured mammalian cells were used to examine the toxicity of the organic pollutants present in Lake Biwa. The pollutants were adsorbed on activated carbon and extracted respectively with methylene chloride, chloroform, acetone and ethanol. It was found that the toxicity of the extracted organic pollutants varies markedly with the solvent used. The results herein suggest that substances extractable with methylene chloride are most important for estimating the organic pollution in aquatic environments. The conspicuous seasonal variation in the toxicity, as well as the concentration, of methylene chloride and chloroform extractable substances was marked. © 1978.