In the LD50 Bioassay for Measuring Toxicity Animal Behavior Laboratory Kit for biology and life science, conduct experiments of your own design and have firsthand experience using a living organism to measure toxicity.
Chemical toxicity is rarely tested directly on humans. Toxicologists use key organisms, like rats, in their experiments and then infer potential consequences on humans. One measure of toxicity is the LD50 number. LD means the lethal dose of a chemical. Fifty refers to the dose of the chemical that will kill 50% of the test animals. Students will conduct experiments of their own design and have firsthand experience using a living organism to measure toxicity. Brine shrimp are easily cultured and are extremely sensitive to changes in their aquatic surroundings. Using brine shrimp, students will see what effects a small amount of chemicals have on them. The LD50 will then be calculated.Enough materials are provided in this kit for 30 students working in pairs. Brine shrimp cysts are provided as well as the hatching salts. Brine shrimp will need to be cultured prior to the laboratory work. Test chemicals are suggested but must be secured locally.
Correlation to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Science & Engineering Practices
Developing and using models Planning and carrying out investigations Analyzing and interpreting data Using mathematics and computational thinking Constructing explanations and designing solutions
Disciplinary Core Ideas
HS-LS1.A: Structure and Function
Crosscutting Concepts
Scale, proportion, and quantity Stability and change
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