Abstract: Cytoxotixc agent, and particularly DNA-damaging agents, can be detected in a whole effluent water or liquid sample by a method called whole effluent toxicity. A living culture of a particle-feeding flagellate is added to a sample, a growth rate is determined for the flagellate, and the growth rate is compared within the sample and its standard growth rate. A decrease in growth rate is indicative of cytotoxic agents in the sample.

Abstract: Toxic substances in a sample can be detected by combining the sample with a living culture of Tetramitus rostratus (10), and monitoring (12) the morphological state and/or swimming behavior of the living culture of Tetramitus rostratus in the presence of the sample. Loss of coordination of swimming behavior of the Tetramitus rostratus is indicative of the presence of a toxic substance in the sample. The sample tested may be a solid or liquid sample, or it may be a gaseous sample (for example an air sample (5) which may contain an airborne toxin).

Abstract: Cytotoxic agents, and particularly DNA-damaging agents, can be detected in a sample by a method comprising the steps of(a) adding the sample to a living culture of Tetramitus rostratus in flagellate form,(b) determining the growth rate of the T. rostratus culture in the presence of the sample, and(c) comparing the growth rate of the T. rostratus culture in the presence of the sample to a standard growth rate. A decrease in growth rate is indicative of the presence of cytotoxic agents in the sample. The use of the flagellate T. rostratus allows this assay to be used on solid as well as liquid or gaseous samples because T. rostratus ingests particulate materials via a gullet.