Comparison of the Submitochondrial Particle Test, Microtox® and Sea Urchin Fertilisation and Development Tests: Parallel Assays with Leachates

The toxicity of leachates from landfill sites in the remediated lands at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay, was evaluated in four tests, encompassing three biological levels. These included: the submitochondrial particle (SMP) test, Microtox, and the sea urchin fertilisation and larval development tests. The aims were to determine the level of leachate toxicity and make recommendations on tests for ongoing monitoring. In Australia sea urchin and Microtox tests are commonly used in ecotoxicology, while the SMP test has only been used in human health risk assessment. Use of the SMP test in parallel with the other tests provided an opportunity to assess this test as a screening tool. The EC10 and EC50 data were analysed by ANOVA. Overall, the urchin tests were most sensitive for testing the leachates and are recommended for ongoing monitoring of Olympic Park landfills. Analysis of the EC10 data indicated that the SMP test was equally sensitive to the urchin tests at six sites and Microtox was equally sensitive at one site. With the EC50 data the SMP test was more sensitive than Microtox at four sites while Microtox was more sensitive than the SMP test at two sites. Although less sensitive, the SMP test and Microtox appeared useful as rapid screening tests, depending on the nature of the leachates.