Correlation of the five test methods to assess chemical toxicity and relation to physical properties.

Biological tests using Orizias latipes (LC50 and oxygen uptake test), Moina macrocopa (LC50), and Dugesia japonica (head regeneration test and LC50) were carried out in order to clarify the mutual relationship of these test methods. The oxygen uptake rate of O. latipes was not effective to assess chemical toxicity. Adding the results of the growth inhibition test of Tetrahymena pyriformis (Yoshioka, Y., Ose, Y., and Sato, T. (1985). Sci. Total Environ. 43, 149-157), the correlation coefficients between each two test methods were calculated. The test results except EC50 and LC50 of D. japonica showed a good relation to each other. We determined the solubility and the n-octanol/water partition coefficient (P) of some chemicals used in the test. Log P interpreted the toxicity in mol/liter unit but not in mg/liter. Solubility was not a useful descripter neither in mol/liter nor in mg/liter unit.