Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) nauplii as a teratogen test system.

Brine shrimp increase in length rapidly after hatching. A teratogen test system is based on disruption of elongation between 24 and 48 hr after wetting of the cysts. Teratogenicity of substances dissolved in the medium is assayed by comparison of average lengths of animals raised for the test period in suspect solution with average lengths of controls. The system is fast, inexpensive, and requires little skill. Brine shrimp are suited to testing industrial wastes, chemical formulations, drugs, and food additives that can be dissolved in water at 25 degrees C. The method appears unsuited to testing the teratogenicity of gases, particulates, very dilute wastes, or natural waters. Cadmium, mercury, lead, zinc, bromoform, n-butylphthalate, 1,2-dichloroethane, nitrobenzene, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, and 1,1,3-trichloroethane were found teratogenic. Chromium (III), chromium (VI), copper, chlorobenzene, chloroform, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and phenol were found not teratogenic. Other aquatic organism teratogen test systems are surveyed.