Toxicity Testing
Apart from testing of the oiled sediments, several projects have been undertaken for clients to determine the toxicity of particular contaminants or discharges to locally relevant organisms. Results of toxicity tests can be used to develop standards for the ‘safe concentration’ of a contaminant or effluent, which may then be extrapolated to the ecosystem as a whole. Tests have included a range of organisms from algae and bacteria, to prawns and barramundi and have been conducted both in the laboratory and in situ (on site).