ABSTRACT
The importance of understanding the test procedures that are crucial to environmental toxicology cannot be underestimated. The requirements of the tests dictate the design of the laboratory, logistics, and the required personnel. In every interpretation of an EC20, EC50, or other endpoint there should be a clear understanding of the test method used to obtain that estimate. The understanding should include the strengths and weaknesses of the test method and the vagaries of the test organism or organisms. Quite often it is the standard method that is modified by a researcher to answer more specific questions about the effects of xenobiotics. These standard tests form the basis of much of what we know about relative chemical toxicity in a laboratory setting.
