A Mixture Toxicity Study Employing Binary Combinations Of Dinitrobenzene And Trinitrobenzene Using The Bioluminescent Marine Bacterium Vibrio Harveyi As The Test Organism

A combination mixture study was conducted with two organic compounds, dinitrobenzene and trinitrobenzene, using the marine bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio harveyi . This assay employs the photogenic properties of this organism for determination of toxicity in a direct procedure. Evaluation of toxicity was performed using an additive index methodology, mixture toxicity index and graphic representations. Graphic representations employed were isobole plot and isobologram, both isopleths. The additive index procedure employed both chemicals at their estimated median effective concentration (EC 50 ) for determination of a toxicity value. Isopleths employed combinations of both chemicals, using an equitoxic concentration, at 20% intervals of their EC 50 . An additive index value for this mixture was statistically antagonistic. Mixture toxicity index suggests that these chemical in various combinations are antagonistic. Combinations for both isopleths were similar and exhibited additivity for three mixture values and statistical synergism for one mixture. Statistical analysis of combinations using the z test found some mixtures to be statistically different. This analysis, in part, supports findings for isopleths. These results suggest that different mixtures of the two chemicals may have different interaction outcomes.