Toxi-ChromoTest™ Kit
A microplate bacterial toxicity bioassay to determine acute and chronic toxicity in water, effluents, and other liquids. Simple colour endpoint readable visually or by spectrophotometry at 610 nm — EPA ETV verified 2006.
The Toxi-ChromoTest™ exposes bacteria to toxicants in the sample for a short 90-minute incubation period. After incubation, a chromogenic substrate is added. If the sample is toxic, no colour develops. If the sample is non-toxic, a distinctive blue colour quickly develops. The kit provides a clear, completely objective measurement of toxicity by simple visual qualitative evaluation, or quantitatively by spectrophotometry using a microplate reader at 610 nm.
- Test organismEscherichia coli (chromogenic enzyme system)
- EndpointEnzyme inhibition — colour change (blue = non-toxic; colourless = toxic)
- Incubation time90 minutes
- Format96-well microplate
- Tests per kit192 total (32 min. standards & controls; up to 160 qualitative; ≤20 quantitative)
- DetectionVisual or spectrophotometric at 610 nm
- Sample typesWater, effluents, and other aqueous liquids
- VerificationEPA ETV Program verified (2006)
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🍁 Ships from Burlington, Ontario, Canada · International shipping available · Cold-chain packaging included
EPA ETV Program Verified — 2006
In 2006, the Toxi-ChromoTest™ was verified by the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, confirming its reliability and scientific validity for acute toxicity screening of aqueous samples.
Simple 4-Step Assay Procedure
The Toxi-ChromoTest™ kit contains three sets of components allowing four separate testing procedures to be completed at the same or different times.
Prepare
Thaw bacteria and prepare sample dilution series in the 96-well microplate according to the kit protocol
Expose
Add bacteria to sample wells and incubate for 90 minutes at controlled temperature
Develop
Add chromogenic substrate (X-gal or equivalent) to each well; wait for colour development
Read & Calculate
Evaluate visually (blue = non-toxic; colourless = toxic) or measure absorbance at 610 nm; calculate % inhibition and EC50
Fig. 1 — Toxi-ChromoTest™ 96-Well Plate Result
The photograph below shows a typical Toxi-ChromoTest™ result. Colourless wells (left columns and right edge) indicate a toxic response — enzyme activity is fully inhibited. Deep teal wells (centre columns) indicate non-toxic samples where β-galactosidase is fully active. The gradient across the plate reflects a sample dilution series.
Fig. 1 — Toxi-ChromoTest™ 96-well microplate. Teal wells = non-toxic (full β-galactosidase activity). Colourless wells = toxic (complete enzyme inhibition). The gradient across the plate reflects a sample concentration series. Read visually or at 610 nm by plate reader.
SpecificationsKit Specifications & Performance Characteristics
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product Number | 5032 |
| Product Name | TOXI-ChromoTest™ |
| Test Organism | Escherichia coli (β-galactosidase chromogenic system) |
| Assay Endpoint | Enzyme (β-galactosidase) inhibition; colour change read at 610 nm |
| Test Format | 96-well microplate |
| Incubation Time | 90 minutes |
| Tests per Kit | 192 total wells (minimum 32 for standards & controls; up to 160 samples for qualitative screening; ≤20 samples recommended for quantitative bioassay with replicates) |
| Detection Method | Visual (qualitative) or spectrophotometric at 610 nm (quantitative) |
| Sample Matrices | Water, effluents, leachates, and other aqueous liquids |
| Regulatory Verification | EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program — 2006 |
| Kit Components | Three complete sets (various separate testing procedures possible) |
| Manufacturer | EBPI — Environmental Bio-Detection Products Inc., Burlington ON, Canada |
Applications for the Toxi-ChromoTest™
Effluent Monitoring
Screening of industrial and municipal effluents for changes in toxicity levels, and monitoring of municipal discharges for occasional toxic spills.
Battery of Tests
Inclusion in a multi-endpoint battery of toxicity tests for comprehensive monitoring of aqueous environmental samples alongside other EBPI bioassays.
Raw Material Screening
Detection of potential toxicity in raw materials and process chemicals prior to industrial or manufacturing use.
Research & Education
Used as a research and teaching tool within universities across North America. Available in educational kit format for undergraduate and graduate laboratory use. Contact EBPI for educational pricing.
Technical Resources
Procedure Presentation
Step-by-step PowerPoint presentation of the Toxi-ChromoTest™ procedure
⬇️ Download PDFExcel Worksheet
EBPI’s Toxi-ChromoTest™ data worksheet for results recording and calculation
⬇️ Download PDFAssay Flow Chart
Latest version of the Toxi-ChromoTest™ procedure flowchart for quick bench reference
⬇️ Download PDFOther Acute Toxicity & Testing Kits
Contact EBPI for pricing, volume discounts, educational kit options, or technical support for the Toxi-ChromoTest™.