Detection of Teratogenic Substances in Acidic Mine Water Samples Using the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-xenopus (Fetax)

The Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-Xenopus (FETAX) has been developed to detect teratogenicity of pure compounds and complex mixtures. The application of this system as a quick screen to determine possible teratogenicity of test substances, allows for prioritization of those substances for further testing in established mammalian systems. FETAX provides data on malformation, mortality and inhibition of growth and development that can be statistically analyzed to determine the teratogenic risk of the test compound. This study determined the presence of teratogenic agents in acidic mine water samples from the Tar Creek area of Oklahoma. The results obtained were another step in the validation of FETAX as a useful method of determining agents that cause birth defects.Zoology-Physiolog