A CONTINUOUS-FLOW SYSTEM (CPS) FOR CHRONIC EXPOSURE OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS

Effect studies on marine life are changing focus from acute lethal eff ects to long term sublethal effects. There is a need for laboratory te st systems that can facilitate continuos supplies of test substances a t sublethal concentrations. Stability and reproducibility of the test solutions and application of test substances in mixtures are required. With the Continuous Flow System (CFS) described, the aim has been to make a flexible fool adjustable to a wide range of studies. Thus, test solutions and dispersions of substances poorly miscible in water can be made in various ways, using different methods and devices for subst ance injection, mixing and further conditioning. More than one species of organisms can be tested simultaneously. The system can be run both with freshwater and seawater. Presently the system is used for bioacc umulation and biomarker studies related to impacts of oil industry dis charges of produced water off shore. This paper presents the main feat ures and functional parts of the system and some result examples. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.