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The Potamopyrgus antopodarumon reproduction test is designed to assess potential effects of prolonged exposure to chemicals on reproduction and survival of parthenogenetic lineages of the freshwater mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum. Adult female P. antipodarum are exposed to a concentration range of the test chemical. The test chemical is dispersed into the reconstituted dilution water, added to test beakers, and adult snails are subsequently introduced into the test beakers. When testing 'difficult chemicals' (i.e. volatile, unstable, readily biodegradable and adsorbing chemicals) the test can be conducted under flow-through conditions as an alternative to the semi-static design with fixed renewal periods of the medium (see paragraph 29). P. antipodarum survival over the 28 days exposure period and reproduction at the end of the test after 28 days are examined. Reproduction is evaluated by counting the number of embryo in the brood pouch (without distinction of developmental stages) at the end of 28 days exposure. The toxic effect of the test chemical on embryo numbers is expressed as ECX by fitting an appropriate regression model in order to estimate the concentration that would cause x % reduction in embryo numbers or alternatively as the No Observed Effect Concentration and Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC/LOEC) value (2).

This Test Guideline is designed to assess effects of prolonged exposure to chemicals on the reproduction and survival of the hermaphrodite freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis (the Great Pond Snail). Reproducing adults of L. stagnalis are exposed to a concentration range of the test chemical and monitored for 28 days for their survival and reproduction (number of egg clutches). As additional information, the number of eggs per clutch may also be determined. Adult shell length increase may also be measured. The toxic effect of the test chemical on the cumulated number of clutches produced per individual-day is expressed as ECx by fitting an appropriate regression model to the data in order to estimate the concentration that would cause x% reduction in the reproductive output. Alternatively, the toxic effect of the test chemical can be expressed as the No Observed Effect Concentration and Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC/LOEC) values. Both ECx and NOEC/LOEC can be determined from a single study.

This test measures structural chromosomal aberrations (both chromosome- and chromatid-type) in dividing spermatogonial germ cells and is, therefore, expected to be predictive of induction of heritable mutations in these germ cells. The purpose of the in vivo mammalian spermatogonial chromosomal aberration test is to identify those chemicals that cause structural chromosomal aberrations in mammalian spermatogonial cells (1) (2) (3). In addition, this test is relevant to assessing genetoxicity because, although they may vary among species, factors of in vivo metabolism, pharmacokinetics and DNA-repair processes are active and contribute to the response. The original Test Guideline 483 was adopted in 1997. This modified version of the Test Guideline reflects many years of experience with this assay and the potential for integrating or combining this test with other toxicity or genotoxicity studies.

This screening Test Guideline describes the effects of a test chemical on male and female reproductive performance. It has been updated with endocrine disruptor endpoints, in particular measure of anogenital distance and male nipple retention in pups and thyroid examination. The test substance is administered in graduated doses to several groups of males and females. Males should be dosed for a minimum of four weeks. Females should be dosed throughout the study, so approximately 63 days. Matings 'one male to one female' should normally be used in this study. This Test Guideline is designed for use with the rat. It is recommended that each group be started with at least 10 animals of each sex. Generally, at least three test groups and a control group should be used. Dose levels may be based on information from acute toxicity tests or on results from repeated dose studies. The test substance is administered orally and daily. The results of this study include clinical observations, body weight and food/water consumption, oestrous cycle monitoring, offspring parameters observation/measurement, thyroid hormone measurement, as well as gross necropsy and histopathology. The findings of this toxicity study should be evaluated in terms of the observed effects, necropsy and microscopic findings. Because of the short period of treatment of the male, the histopathology of the testis and epididymus should be considered along with the fertility data, when assessing male reproductive effects.

This Test Guideline describes a method to assess the effects of chemical substances in soil on the reproductive output of the soil mite species Hypoaspis (Geolaelaps) aculeifer Canestrini (Acari: Laelapidae). It can be used for water soluble or insoluble substances, but not with volatile substances. Adult females of similar age are exposed to a range of concentrations of the test substance mixed into 20 g dry mass of artificial soil 28-35 days after the start of the egg laying period. Depending on the endpoint (ECx, NOEC or both), five to twelve concentrations should be tested. At least two to four replicates for each test concentrations and six to eight control replicates, of 10 animals each, are recommended. At 20¡ãC, the test lasts 14 days after introducing the females, which usually allows the control offspring to reach the deutonymph stage. The number of surviving females (mortality ¡Ü 20% for a valid test) and the number of juveniles per test vessel (at least 50 for a valid test) are determined. The fecundity of the mites exposed to the test substance is compared to that of controls in order to determine the ECx (e.g. EC10, EC50) or the No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC). Any observed differences between the behaviour and the morphology of the mites in the control and the treated vessels should be recorded.

The test guideline of the Larval Amphibian Growth and Development Assay (LAGDA) describes a toxicity test with an amphibian species (African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)) that considers growth and development from fertilization through the early juvenile period.  It is an assay (typically 16 weeks) that assesses early development, metamorphosis, survival, growth, and partial reproductive maturation. It also enables measurement of a suite of other endpoints that allows for diagnostic evaluation of suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or other types of developmental and reproductive toxicants. The LAGDA serves as a higher tier test with an amphibian for collecting more comprehensive concentration-response information on adverse effects suitable for use in hazard identification and characterization, and in ecological risk assessment. The general experimental design entails exposing X. laevis embryos at Nieuwkoop and Faber (NF) stage 8-10 (3) to a minimum of four different concentrations of test chemical and control(s) until 10 weeks after the median time to NF stage 62.  There are four replicates in each test concentration with eight replicates for the control. Endpoints evaluated during the course of the exposure (at the interim sub-sample and final sample at completion of the test) include those indicative of generalized toxicity: mortality, abnormal behaviour, and growth determinations (length and weight), as well as endpoints designed to characterize specific endocrine toxicity modes of action targeting oestrogen, androgen or thyroid-mediated physiological processes.

This updated Test Guideline 435 provides an in vitro membrane barrier test method that can be used to identify corrosive chemicals. The test method utilizes an artificial membrane designed to respond to corrosive chemicals in a manner similar to animal skin in situ.

The test described in this Test Guideline allows the identification of corrosive chemical substances and mixtures and it enables the identification of non-corrosive substances and mixtures when supported by a weight of evidence determination using other existing information. The test protocol may also provide an indication of the distinction between severe and less severe skin corrosives. This Test Guideline does not require the use of live animals or animal tissue for the assessment of skin corrosivity. The test material (solid or liquid) is applied uniformly and topically to a three-dimensional human skin model, comprising at least a reconstructed epidermis with a functional stratum corneum. Two tissue replicates are used for each treatment (exposure time), and for controls. Corrosive materials are identified by their ability to produce a decrease in cell viability below defined threshold levels at specified exposure periods. Coloured chemicals can also be tested by used of an HPLC procedure. The principle of the human skin model assay is based on the hypothesis that corrosive chemicals are able to penetrate the stratum corneum by diffusion or erosion, and are cytotoxic to the underlying cell layers.

The in vitro mammalian cell gene mutation test can be used to detect gene mutations induced by chemical substances. In this test, the used genetic endpoints measure mutation at hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT), and at a transgene of xanthineguanine phosphoribosyl transferase (XPRT). The HPRT and XPRT mutation tests detect different spectra of genetic events. Cells in suspension or monolayer culture are exposed to, at least four analysable concentrations of the test substance, both with and without metabolic activation, for a suitable period of time. They are subcultured to determine cytotoxicity and to allow phenotypic expression prior to mutant selection. Cytotoxicity is usually determined by measuring the relative cloning efficiency (survival) or relative total growth of the cultures after the treatment period. The treated cultures are maintained in growth medium for a sufficient period of time, characteristic of each selected locus and cell type, to allow near-optimal phenotypic expression of induced mutations. Mutant frequency is determined by seeding known numbers of cells in medium containing the selective agent to detect mutant cells, and in medium without selective agent to determine the cloning efficiency (viability). After a suitable incubation time, colonies are counted.