Statistically significant deviations from additivity: what do they mean in assessing toxicity of mixtures?

Liu, Yang; Vijver, Martina G.; Qui, Hao; Baas, Jan; Peijnenburg, Willie J.G.M.. 2015 Statistically significant deviations from additivity: what do they mean in assessing toxicity of mixtures? Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 122. 37-44. 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.07.012

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.07.012

Abstract/Summary

There is increasing attention from scientists and policy makers to the joint effects of multiple metals on organisms when present in a mixture. Using root elongation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) as a toxicity endpoint, the combined effects of binary mixtures of Cu, Cd, and Ni were studied. The statistical MixTox model was used to search deviations from the reference models i.e. concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA). The deviations were subsequently interpreted as ‘interactions’. A comprehensive experiment was designed to test the reproducibility of the ‘interactions’. The results showed that the toxicity of binary metal mixtures was equally well predicted by both reference models. We found statistically significant ‘interactions’ in four of the five total datasets. However, the patterns of ‘interactions’ were found to be inconsistent or even contradictory across the different independent experiments. It is recommended that a statistically significant ‘interaction’, must be treated with care and is not necessarily biologically relevant. Searching a statistically significant interaction can be the starting point for further measurements and modeling to advance the understanding of underlying mechanisms and non-additive interactions occurring inside the organisms.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.07.012
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Acreman
ISSN:	0147-6513
Additional Keywords:	metal mixtures, lettuce, statistically significant, biologically relevant, reproducibility
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	01 Sep 2015 11:04 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/511705

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.07.012

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Acreman

ISSN:

0147-6513

Additional Keywords:

metal mixtures, lettuce, statistically significant, biologically relevant, reproducibility

NORA Subject Terms:

Earth Sciences