A protocol combining acute toxicity, developmental toxicity and mutagenicity analysis in freshwater
snail Biomphalaria glabrata for application in ecotoxicological studies is described. For acute toxicity
testing, LC50 and EC50 values were determined; dominant lethal mutations induction was the endpoint
for mutagenicity analysis. Reference toxicant potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) was used to characterize
B. glabrata sensitivity for toxicity and cyclophosphamide to mutagenicity testing purposes. Compared to
other relevant freshwater species, B. glabrata showed high sensitivity: the lowest EC50 value was
obtained with embryos at veliger stage (5.76 mg/L). To assess the model applicability for environmental
studies, influent and effluent water samples from a wastewater treatment plant were evaluated.
Gastropod sensitivity was assessed in comparison to the standardized bioassay with Daphnia similis
exposed to the same water samples. Sampling sites identified as toxic to daphnids were also detected by
snails, showing a qualitatively similar sensitivity suggesting that B. glabrata is a suitable test species for
freshwater monitoring. Holding procedures and protocols implemented for toxicity and developmental
bioassays showed to be in compliance with international standards for intra-laboratory precision.
Thereby, we are proposing this system for application in ecotoxicological studies