aQuaTox Solutions GmbH

Scientific and ethical standards in environmental hazard assessment have to be redefined aQuaTox-Solutions offers animal-free alternative testing methods that redefine the old, outdated golden standard: higher precision, less variability, shorter test duration and therefore increased output, tremendous cut in resources required and therefore lower overall costs. Our innovative testing methods are the perfect opportunity to display your ethical convictions and reduce fish tests! Stricter chemical regulations, such as for industrial chemicals under REACH and growing popular pressure have brought about a great interest in alternative resp. animal-free methods for the hazard evaluation of chemicals, an area of long-standing expertise of the founders of aQuaTox-Solutions. As members of the Department of Environmental Toxicology (Utox) at Eawag they have been involved in the establishment of the Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity (FET) Test (OECD 236) to predict acute fish toxicity. Moreover, an in vitro, i.e. fish-free method for predicting acute fish toxicity, the so-called RTgill-W1 cell line test (gill cell lines from rainbow trout), has been developed by the founders of aQuaTox-Solutions within Eawag-led research projects. It shows very good agreement with the acute fish toxicity test and is therefore a “genuine” alternative to animal testing, as no fish have to be killed to perform it. The RTgill-W1 cell line test has undergone approval by ISO (#21115); efforts to have the test adopted by OECD are likewise underway. Aside from alternative strategies to evaluate the hazard of chemicals to fish, founders of aQuaTox-Solutions are working on the establishment of effect-oriented monitoring of surface water bodies using molecular methods. By means of a specific biomarker gene set, sub-lethal effects on fish or cell lines are being measured in order to draw conclusions about fish health and water quality.