Toxicite relative de deux insecticides organo-phosphores l'abate et le fenitrothion

The effect of the 2 pesticides most frequently used against mosquitoes was tested on a number of marine organisms. Growth inhibition was tested using Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Gyrosigma spencer (algae). To 0.5 ml of culture inoculum containing similar to 100000 cells in exponential growth phase, 9.5 ml of insecticide in varying concentrations were added and the growth was recorded every 48 hour; LG sub(50) was determined. Muscular activity and filtration rate of Crassostrea angulata were tested. The acute toxicity was tested using 4 species of gastropods, 2 lamellibranchs, 5 crustaceans, 1 coelenterate and 3 fishes; the species used were: Gibbula umbilicalis, Purpura lapillus, Littorina littorea, Patella vulgata, Mytilus edulis, Cardium edule, Artemia salina, Clinabarius misanthropus, Carcinus maenas, Crangon crangon, Palaemonetes varians, Actinia equina, Gasterosteus aculeatus, Pomatoschistus minutus and Anguilla anguilla. The LD sub(50) was determined for each concentration at intervals of 48 hour and 96 hour. It was noted that Abate was distinctly less toxic than Fenitrothion and that the crustaceans were extremely sensitive to Fenitrothion; a marginal security was found to exist in the oysters between the doses used in practice and those used in the test.