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Feeding and nutritional considerations in aquatic toxicology

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Abstract

The nutritional status of an aquatic organism, both prior to and during testing, can significantly modify the apparent toxicity of a chemical. In order to decrease the variability of toxicity test results, both within and between laboratories, feeding regimes, feed types and proximate composition of diets should be routinely reported. The advantages and metabolic effects of various feeding practices currently used in toxicity testing (fasting, starvation, feeding as a percentage of body weight, feeding ad libitum and pair feeding) are discussed. The disadvantages of monitoring nutritional status of test organisms are also reviewed and suggestions are offered as to how best to monitor nutritional status.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, N2L 3G1, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    R. P. Lanno, B. E. Hickie & D. G. Dixon

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  1. R. P. Lanno
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  2. B. E. Hickie
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  3. D. G. Dixon
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Lanno, R.P., Hickie, B.E. & Dixon, D.G. Feeding and nutritional considerations in aquatic toxicology. Hydrobiologia 188, 525–531 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027820

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