Patent ID: 7964391
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for testing the toxicity of a test sample comprising: an aqueous suspension of dinoflagellates; a test chamber configured to contain the aqueous suspension of dinoflagellates and the test sample; an optical signal generator configured to emit an excitation signal, the excitation signal disposed to excite the dinoflagellates to emit a fluorescence signal if the dinoflagellates are alive; a first optical transducer configured to produce a first data signal in response to detecting the fluorescence signal; a stimulator configured to introduce a gas into the aqueous suspension, wherein the stimulator comprises no moving parts, apart from the gas, that are in contact with the aqueous suspension, wherein the gas is disposed to stimulate the dinoflagellates to emit a bioluminescence signal if the dinoflagellates are alive; a second optical transducer configured to produce a second data signal in response to detecting the bioluminescence signal; and a processor configured to compare the first data signal and the second data signal to a control data to generate an output representing the toxicity of the test sample.