• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.116-123
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• 2016

The ecotoxicity tests for metal plating wastewater were conducted using Daphnia magna (D. magna) and Euglena agilis (E. agilis). Evaluation for sources of toxicity was performed by 1) Correlation analysis between the concentration of individual metals in the metal plating wastewater and the toxic effects on D. magna, 2) Toxicant identification evaluation methods including graduated pH method, EDTA procedure and sodium thiosulfate procedure, 3) Comparison of toxic effect value ($EC_{50}$ or $LC_{50}$) of individual metal on D. magna and it's concentration in the metal plating wastewater. To evaluate the possibility of E. agilis, a Korean domestic organism, as a test model organism for metal plating waste water, E. agilis toxicity test was also assessed using on-line euglena ecotoxicity system (E-Tox system). Based on toxicant characterization test using D. magna, it was expected that SS, oxidants and heavy metals are responsible for toxicity of metal plating waste water. Especially Cu, Hg, and Ag were the major cationic metals that caused toxicity. E. agilis is less sensitive than D. magna based on the $EC_{50}$ value however it shows prompt response to toxic test substances. E. agilis shows even a significant effect on the cell swimming velocity within 2 min to toxic metal plating wastewater. Our study demonstrates that E. agilis test can be a putative ecotoxicity test for assessing the quality of metal plating waste water.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2016

The toxic responses of flagellate Euglena agilis Carter to 8 heavy metals (Ag, Cd, Cr (VI), Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) were measured using E. agilis system (E-Tox), an automated biomonitoring system. The E-Tox measures cell movement parameters, such as velocity, motility, and forms of the cells, as biological endpoints. $EC_{50}$ values from the E. agilis biomonitoring test were compared with the literature data from the tests with Daphnia magna, Vibrio fischeri and Euglena gracilis. Measurement of the E. agilis movement behavior and D. magna acute toxicity test were also conducted for the wastewater samples. E. agilis is less sensitive than D. magna but is comparable to or more sensitive than V. fischeri and E. gracilis for the heavy metals tested in this study. E. agilis shows prompt changes of these parameters for the toxic metal plating wastewater. Major advantages of the E-tox are automatic, easy to handle and fast ecotoxicity monitoring system compared to other biological test systems. These results imply that E. agilis biomonitoring test using E-Tox can be a putative ecotoxicity test as a good early warning tool for the monitoring of toxic wastewater.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2015

Acute toxicity tests for 5 organic solvents were conducted using Euglena agilis carter (E. agilis), a Korean domestic organism. Organic solvents decreased the growth rate of E. agilis in a dose dependent manner. The toxicity to E. agilis was increased in the order of chloroform>acetone${\geq}$ethanol${\geq}$methanol>DMSO based on $EC_{50}$ values from growth test. Organic solvents also induced cell motility and morphological changes of E. agilis. Especially significant effects on the cell swimming velocity, motility, and compactness were observed for chloroform at the concentration of $EC_{50}$ calculated from 96 hr growth test. Overall, toxic responses of E. agilis to test substances are comparable to or more sensitive than D. magna, M. macrocopa and V. fischeri. Our study demonstrates that E. agilis can be a putative ecotoxicity test model organism to assess domestic water quality. Results obtained from this study can be applied to establish the standard test guidelines for ecotoxicity test using E. agilis.