Hardware-software system for rapid toxicity assessment of aquatic environments using P. Caudatum infusoria

THE PURPOSE. Development of a hardware-software complex (HSC) for rapid toxicity assessment of aquatic environments using Paramecium caudatum as a bioindicator. The primary goal was to create a system capable of registering and analyzing the chemotactic response of test organisms under varying levels of toxic exposure. METHODS. The hardware component includes a high-resolution camera, a specialized flat photometric cuvette, and adjustable LED lighting. The software utilizes computer vision algorithms (OpenCV) for tracking P. caudatum movement and assessing toxicity based on spatiotemporal cell distribution. Experiments were conducted using Lozina-Lozinsky solution as a control and copper sulfate (CuSO₄) solutions at concentrationsranging from 1 mg/L to 0.1 mg/L as test samples. RESULTS. At 1 mg/L CuSO₄, 95% of cells remained localized in the lower cuvette zone (lethality), with a toxicity index corresponding to high hazard (T>0.70). At 0.1 mg/L CuSO₄, 70-75% of the population migrated to the upper zone, similar to the control (T<0.40) The system demonstrated ≤5% error and a 30-minute analysis time. CONCLUSION. The developed HSC enables precise toxicity assessment of CuSO₄- contaminated environments, detecting both critical (1 mg/L) and subthreshold (0.1 mg/L) concentrations. The method’s robustness against imaging artifacts confirms its reliability for ecological monitoring.

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