Normal ventilatory movements of fish generate bioelectric potentials which, when properly amplified and filtered, may be interfaced to computer based systems to facilitate automated collection of large data bases. When fish are exposed to acutely and subacutely toxic concentrations of many chemicals, common ventilatory responses may include changes in signal frequencies, amplitudes, waveforms, and coughs. To better understand the mechanisms of action and behaviorally and neurally mediated effects of chemical substances on fish, the automation of data collection is essential. The proposed effort addresses this issue by attempting to overcome the technical difficulties associated with this problem. Chemicals would be categorized by their structure and known toxic mechanisms of action to determine the manner in which each category effects fish ventilatory behavior.The potential commercial application as described by the awardee: The research will result in an automated and continuous water quality monitor and screening tool for assessing effects of chemical substances. Biological Monitoring, Inc., is an environmental consulting Firm specializing in the area of aquatic toxicology.
