ASTM_E_1963_-_09_2014.pdf

Designation:E196309(Reapproved 2014)Standard Guide forConducting Terrestrial Plant Toxicity Tests1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1963;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide covers practices for conducting plant toxicitytests using terrestrial plant species to determine effects of testsubstances on plant growth and development.Specific testprocedures are presented in accompanying annexes.1.2 Terrestrial plants are vital components of ecologicallandscapes.The populations and communities of plants influ-ence the distribution and abundance of wildlife.Obviously,plants are the central focus of agriculture,forestry,and range-lands.Toxicity tests conducted under the guidelines andannexes presented herein can provide critical informationregarding the effects of chemicals on the establishment andmaintenance of terrestrial plant communities.1.3 Toxic substances that prevent or reduce seed germina-tion can have immediate and large impacts to crops.In naturalsystems,many desired species may be sensitive,while otherspecies are tolerant.Such selective pressure can result inchanges in species diversity,population dynamics,and com-munity structure that may be considered undesirable.Similarly,toxic substances may impair the growth and development ofseedlings resulting in decreased plant populations,decreasedcompetitive abilities,reduced reproductive capacity,and low-ered crop yield.For the purposes of this guide,test substancesinclude pesticides,industrial chemicals,sludges,metals ormetalloids,and hazardous wastes that could be added to soil.Italso includes environmental samples that may have had any ofthese test substances incorporated into soil.1.4 Terrestrial plants range from annuals,capable of com-pleting a life-cycle in as little as a few weeks,to long-livedperennials that grow and reproduce for several hundreds ofyears.Procedures to evaluate chemical effects on plants rangefrom short-term measures of physiological responses(forexample,chlorophyll fluorescence)to field studies of trees overseveral years.Research and development of standardized planttests have emphasized three categories of tests:(1)short-term,physiological endpoints(that is,biomarkers);(2)short-termtests conducted during the early stages of plant growth withseveral endpoints related to survival,growth,and development;and(3)life-cycle toxicity tests that emphasize reproductivesuccess.1.5 This guide is arranged by sections as follows:SectionTitle1Scope2Referenced Documents3Terminology4Summary of Phytotoxicity Tests5Significance and Use6Apparatus7Test Material8Hazards9Test Organisms10Sample Handling and Storage11Calibration and Standardization12Test Conditions13Interference and Limitations14Quality Assurance and Quality Control15Calculations and Interpretation of Results16Precision and Bias1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific precau-tionary statements are given in Section 8.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D1193 Specification for Reagent WaterD4547 Guide for Sampling Waste and Soils for VolatileOrganic CompoundsD5633 Practice for Sampling with a ScoopE1598 Practice for Conducting Early Seedling Growth Tests(Withdrawn 2003)3E1733 Guide for Use of Lighting in Laboratory Testing1This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E50 on EnvironmentalAssessment,Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the direct responsibil-ity of Subcommittee E50.47 on Biological Effects and Environmental Fate.Current edition approved Oct.1,2014.Published December 2014.Originallypublished in 1998.Last previous edition published 2009 as E196309.DOI:10.1520/E1963-09R14.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 2.2 Code of Federal Regulations Standard:CFR 4942.3 Other useful references have described phytotoxicity testprocedures(1-11).53.Terminology3.1 General TerminologyThe words“must,”“should,”“may,”“can,”and“might”have very specific meanings in thisguide.“Must”is used to express an absolute requirement,thatis,to state