Aquatic Toxicology Laboratories
GLEC operates aquatic toxicology laboratories at our Traverse City,
Michigan and Columbus, Ohio locations. Capital improvements were
made to both laboratories in 2003 as part of our ongoing commitment
to providing state-of-the art aquatic toxicology services. The
aquatic toxicology laboratories are fully equipped to perform static
and flow-through toxicity evaluations, bioassays, and biomonitoring
of complex effluents, stormwater, groundwater, whole sediment,
sediment elutriate, sediment porewater and single compounds using
warm and cold water fish, invertebrates and algae. All studies are
conducted in accordance with EPA, state, ASTM, or client-specified
guidelines. GLEC researchers are expert in developing procedures
for and conducting Toxicity Identification and Reduction Evaluations
(TI/RE) and have conducted numerous
water-effect ratio (WER) studies
in the development of site-specific
criteria.
Aquatic toxicology laboratory instrumentation
and equipment includes
recording thermometers, pressure
filtration apparati, drying ovens,
centrifuge, autoclaves, temperature
controlled water baths, environmental
chambers, spectrophotometer, pH
meters, dissolved oxygen meters,
conductivity meters, and a variety of
ion specific probes and a Technicon
autoanalyzer for phosphorus and nitrogen analysis. Rapid toxicity
tests of chemicals or complex effluents can be performed using our
Microtox® 7 toxicity analyzer system. Our research staff has developed
an Automated Biomonitoring System that allows us to monitor
stress by measuring the ventilatory response of fish in a flow-through
chamber.
Stock cultures of principal test organisms Ceriodaphnia dubia,
Daphnia magna, Daphnia pulex, and fathead minnows required
for NPDES permits are cultured in our laboratories vs. purchased
from outside suppliers, thus assuring high levels of quality control.
Chironomus tentans, Hyallela azteca, Lumbriculus variegatus,
Chironomus riparius, and Mysidopsis bahia are available to be used
as test species on an as-needed basis. Acute and chronic reference
tests are conducted once a month on test organisms and the reference
toxicant data is furnished with each report which is specially
formatted to follow permit requirements.
