Abstract

Acute toxicity of heavy metals and surfactants was estimated using the methods of thymidine incorporation, glucose metabolism and exoproteolytic activity in sea water. In general heavy metals were revealed to be more toxic than surfactants for the three methods. Thymidine incorporation was found to be more sensitive to heavy metals than glucose metabolism, but when surfactants were tested thymidine incorporation and glucose metabolism showed similar sensitivity. Exoproteolytic activity was affected in different ways for the assayed metals, but surfactants did not show toxic effects.

Dolors Vaqué

Staff scientist