Application of Toxkit microbiotests for toxicity assessment in soil and compost.

The potential of Toxkit microbiotests to detect and analyze pollution in agricultural soil and the quality of compost was studied. The toxicity tests used included seed germination biotests using cress salad (Lepidum sativum L.), tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.), and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), and the Toxkit microbiotests included those with microalgae (Selenastrum capricornutum), protozoa (Tetrahymena thermophila), crustaceans (Daphnia magna, Thamnocephalus platyurus, and Heterocypris incongruens), and rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus). Experiments on compost were undertaken in a modified solid-state fermentation system (SSF) and under field conditions (in a windrow). To promote the composting process, two strains of Trichoderma (Trichoderma lignorum and Trichoderma viride), as well as a nitrification association that regulated the nitrogen-ammonification and nitrification processes were applied. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.