SediTox™ Test kit, for rapid detection of toxicity in sediments without extraction.

The SediTox™ kit is sensitive to a wide spectrum of toxic substances such as heavy metals, organic and inorganic pollutants, antibiotics and priority contaminants. The assay detects toxicity directly without labour intensive solvent extraction procedures. The sensitivity of the assay combined with its ease of use make it an essential research tool that can be used qualitatively for field measurements and quantitatively in the laboratory to compare relative toxicity between samples. The assay is based on the ability of a toxicant to inhibit the de novo synthesis of an inducible enzyme (β-galactosidase) in a highly permeable mutant of E. coli and the results manifest as an easily observable colour change after a short incubation period.