Aliivibrio fischeri Toxicity Tests(formerly Vibrio fischeri)
Rapid bioluminescence inhibition toxicity testing using Aliivibrio fischeri — the ISO-standardized luminescent bacteria assay for whole-sample toxicity assessment of water, wastewater, effluents, sediments, and turbid environmental samples. Four BioTox™ kit formats to suit every project budget and laboratory setup.
Whole-Sample Toxicity Assessment with Luminescent Bacteria
Chemical analysis of environmental samples identifies specific contaminants accurately, but gives no information about biological effects, synergistic toxicity from compound mixtures, or the overall toxic potential of a sample. The Aliivibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition assay provides a rapid, cost-effective measure of whole-sample toxicity that integrates these effects into a single, objective endpoint — making it one of the most widely used aquatic toxicity tests in environmental monitoring worldwide.
How It WorksBioluminescence Inhibition Principle
Light Production = Metabolic Activity
Aliivibrio fischeri naturally produces bioluminescence directly proportional to its metabolic activity. Healthy, unstressed bacteria emit a steady, measurable light signal.
Toxicity Inhibits Light
Toxic compounds inhibit enzymatic activity or kill cells, reducing bioluminescence. The degree of light inhibition is measured and compared to a negative control to calculate % inhibition and EC50.
Rapid Quantitative Result
Results in as little as 15–30 minutes. Highly sensitive to organic contaminants; excellent correlation with Daphnia magna and fathead minnow toxicity data.
Four Kit Formats — One for Every Application
All BioTox™ kits use high-quality Aliivibrio fischeri reagents from Finnish manufacturer Aboatox. Each kit is fully self-contained with all required components, and reagents are compatible with other commercially available detector systems including the M500 (Microtox® compatible).
BioTox™ WaterTox™ Standard Kit
Product No. 1243-1000The complete drop-in replacement for traditional Vibrio fischeri acute toxicity tests. Designed for Microtox® users — all reagents and solutions included for direct adoption with current detectors like the M500.
- Microtox® compatible — works with M500 detector
- Complete reagent kit including osmotic adjusting solution
- ISO 11348-3 standard protocol for clear water samples
- 15-minute and 30-minute acute toxicity endpoints
- Ideal for effluents, surface water, groundwater
BioTox™ WaterTox™ EVO Kit
Product No. 1243-500The kinetic bioluminescence inhibition test for rapid, single-measurement toxicity determination. ISO 21338:2010 compliant — ideal for routine screening of samples in the lab or in the field.
- ISO 21338:2010 kinetic protocol
- Single measurement per sample — faster throughput
- Suitable for clean and slightly turbid water samples
- Reduced reagent consumption vs. standard protocol
- Compatible with standard luminometers
BioTox™ LumoPlate™ Ultimate Matrix Kit
Product No. 1244-100The advanced 96-well microplate format for turbid samples, coloured matrices, sediment elutriates, and complex environmental samples where standard cuvette-based methods are unreliable.
- 96-well microplate format — high sample throughput
- Designed for turbid, coloured, and complex matrices
- Sediment elutriate and pore water compatible
- Both ISO 11348-3 and ISO 21338:2010 protocols
- Compatible with standard microplate luminometers
- Ideal for industrial effluents and stormwater samples
BioTox™ LumoStix™ Instant Kit
Product No. 1245-30Ready-to-use lyophilized Aliivibrio fischeri test sticks for rapid, single-test toxicity determination. No cold-chain storage required after rehydration — ideal for field deployment and on-site screening.
- Instant format — pre-dosed, single-use test sticks
- No cold-chain laboratory equipment required in the field
- Results in as little as 15 minutes
- Ideal for spill response, field screening, and rapid QC
- Handheld luminometer compatible
- Suitable for single-sample determinations
Choosing the Right BioTox™ Kit
All four kits use the same Aliivibrio fischeri test organism and bioluminescence inhibition principle. The choice depends on your sample type, throughput requirements, and available instrumentation.
| Feature | WaterTox™ Standard 1243-1000 |
WaterTox™ EVO 1243-500 |
LumoPlate™ 1244-100 |
LumoStix™ 1245-30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO Standard | ISO 11348-3 | ISO 21338:2010 | ISO 11348-3 & 21338 | Rapid field |
| Format | Cuvette / tube | Cuvette / tube | 96-well microplate | Single-use stick |
| Protocol | Standard acute | Standard acute | Microplate kinetic | Instant |
| Clear water | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Turbid / coloured samples | — | — | ✓ Designed for this | Limited |
| Sediment elutriates | — | — | ✓ | — |
| High throughput | — | Moderate | ✓ 96-well | Single test |
| Field / on-site use | ✓ | ✓ | Lab preferred | ✓ Purpose-built |
| Microtox® M500 compatible | ✓ | ✓ | Plate reader | Handheld LUM |
| Result time | 15–30 min | 15–30 min | 15–30 min | ~15 min |
Sensitivity & Cross-Species Correlation
BioTox™ reagents perform comparably to other commercial Aliivibrio fischeri systems (Microtox®, LumiStox, ToxAlert) when conducted according to ISO standards. Aliivibrio fischeri is extremely sensitive to organic contaminants and shows excellent correlation with toxicity data from Daphnia magna and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) — providing regulatory-relevant cross-species toxicity information from a single rapid bacterial assay.
Applications for Aliivibrio fischeri Toxicity Testing
Industrial Effluent Monitoring
Routine screening of industrial discharges for acute toxicity changes, discharge permit compliance, and treatment efficiency evaluation.
Municipal Wastewater
WWTP influent and effluent toxicity, CSO event monitoring, and assessment of pharmaceutical and personal care product impacts.
Drinking Water & Source Water
Source water toxicity screening, disinfection by-product assessment, and treated water quality monitoring.
Sediment & Pore Water
Sediment elutriate and pore water toxicity using LumoPlate™ for contaminated site assessment and dredging material evaluation.
Spill Response & Field Screening
Rapid on-site toxicity determination during spill events, pipeline incidents, and emergency response using LumoStix™ instant kits.
Chemicals & Raw Materials
Rapid acute toxicity screening of industrial chemicals, process intermediates, and formulated products for hazard classification.
Mining & Leachate
Acid mine drainage, tailings pond effluent, and leachate toxicity screening supporting environmental impact assessment and closure planning.
Marine & Estuarine Samples
Assessment of marine and brackish water samples — Aliivibrio fischeri is a marine bacterium naturally suited to saline matrices.
Research & Education
Widely used in academic and regulatory research. Compatible with EBPI’s Microtox calculator spreadsheet for EC50 and % effect calculations.
Contact EBPI to discuss your sample type, throughput requirements, and available instrumentation — we’ll recommend the right BioTox™ format for your project.