Volume 50, Number 1, December 2003:
A Toxicology Primer for Student Inquiry: Biological Smoke Detectors

Text-only version

ISSUE HOME PAGE

ABOUT THIS ISSUE
- about KSN
- about the author
- acknowledgements

IN THIS ISSUE
- disclaimer, objectives
- "biological smoke detectors"
- purpose of invertebrate toxicity testing
- lethal and sublethal effects
- some wormy ideas for toxicity testing
- sublethal chemical effects in lumbriculus
- selecting the chemical(s)
- safety
- exposure methods
- preliminary experiments and concentration range-finding
- final stages of toxicity testing
- typical equipment and supplies
- other organisms, other ideas
- obtaining background information
- references
- glossary of toxicological terms

A Toxicology Primer for Student Inquiry:
Biological Smoke Detectors
by Charles Drewes

OBTAINING BACKGROUND INFORMATION

If possible, locate general texts in toxicology which may contain more helpful or specialized information.  Recommended reference books include: Kamrin (1988), National Research Council (1991), Viccellio (1993), Ware (1996), Hodgson and Levi (1997), Ottoboni (1997).  Additional reference books that are likely to have key technical information are:  “CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics” and “Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals.”

The most reliable and up-to-date information about toxicity effects of chemicals on invertebrates and other organisms is found in primary references -- namely, original articles that are published in scientific journals.  References to such journal articles can be located in many college, university, or medical libraries using several different electronic data bases for scientific literature.  Three of the most useful for toxicology purposes are: AGRICOLA, MEDLINE, AND BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL INDEX (BIAG). 

A very limited amount of credible and relevant information about effects of specific toxicants may be available on the world wide web.  Considerable caution should be exercised in evaluating any web-derived information relating to chemicals or chemical effects. 

[NOTE:  Upon request, I will gladly send copies of detailed background information about Lumbriculus biology, or reprints of any research papers below, to students or teachers.]