Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, India

Services

ITRC undertakes the following services for all interested parties including those from industry and academic bodies using national and international guidelines conforming to OECD, USEPA, BIS, ISO:

A. Safety/toxicity evaluation of chemicals/finished products

Toxicity evaluation in mice, rat, guinea pig and rabbit

Acute (< 14 days)
     Oral: mice, rat
     Dermal: rat, rabbit
     Inhalation: rat
Sub acute (14-30 days)
Oral: rat
Dermal: rat
Chronic (51-104 weeks)
Dietary toxicity: rat
Sub chronic (30-90 days)
Oral: rat

Neurobehavioral Toxicity

Spontaneous locomotor activity
Rotarod performance
Grip strength
Catalepsy
Active learning ability using shuttle box

Neurotoxicity

Rapid screening of chemicals / herbal extracts to assess their neurotoxic / psychoactive potential. Assays for neurotransmitter receptor type / subtype (Dopamine - D1, D2*, D3*, Serotonin - 1A*, 2A, muscarinic-cholinergic and benzodiazepine receptors conducted using radioligand receptor binding

Teratogenicity

Rats

Gastrointestinal Toxicity

Test for loss of Appetite: mice, rat
In situ evaluation of gastrointestinal toxicity

Immunotoxicity

Cell mediated immunity
Humoral immunity
Cytokines

Dermal Toxicity

Primary skin irritation: rabbit
Irritation to mucous membrane: female rabbit
Skin sensitization: guinea pig

Reproductive Toxicity

General reproductive performance and fertility test: rat
Two generation reproduction study: rat

Carcinogenicity and Genotoxicity (In vivo)

Chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow: mouse / rat
Micronucleus test in bone marrow: mouse / rat
Bone marrow sister chromatid exchange assay
DNA damage by Comet assay
DNA damage by Comet assay: Drosophila
Cytogenetic assay: Allium cepa
Cytogenetic assay: Vicia faba
Dominant lethal test: rat
Ames Test: Salmonella typhimurium
Carcinogenicity: mouse skin
   i.    Complete carcinogenicity
     ii.   Tumor initiation
     iii. Tumor promotion
Carcinogenicity: Rats
   i.    Complete carcinogenicity
     ii.   Tumor initiation
     iii. Tumor promotion

Carcinogenicity and Genotoxicity (In vitro)

Micronucleus: CHO cells/human lymphocyte
Chromosomalaberration: CHO/human lymphocytes
DNA damage by Comet assay

Safety evaluation of plastics

Global Migration test
Physicochemical and biochemical test (systemic injection test) on LDPE/PP Sheets
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle/GFRP plastic pipes
Combustion test using Atlas Flame Chamber for determination of toxicity index as per NCD 1409/NES 713
Cytotoxicity Test & Endotoxin test on Plastic Biomedical Devices/pharmaceuticals

Cytotoxicity

Neutral red uptake assay
MTT assay
LDH leakage assay
Total protein turnover
ATP/ADP ratio
Abnormal DNA synthesis
Apoptopic/necrotic cell death

Phototoxicity of chemicals/cosmetics

In vivo (chemicals)
Duckweed (Spirodella sp.) fond test
In vitro
NIH3T3 cell line

Food Contamination and Adulteration Monitoring

Qualitative analysis of Aflatoxin in food and feed samples
Qualitative analysis of argemone oil in edible oils
Analysis of permitted colors in food products

B . Analytical Services

Metals in soil, air, water, food, biological samples and other matrices

Presently 27 metals (listed below) are analyzed by using ICP/AAS.
Cadmium, Chromium, Iron, Nickel, Copper, Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, Aluminum, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Silver, Gold, Cobalt, Molybdenum, Titanium, Arsenic, Antimony, Vanadium, Boron, Mercury and Selenium.

Pesticides in water, soil, food and biological samples

Organochlorine
a-HCH, b-HCH, g-HCH (Lindane), d-HCH, a-Endosulfan, b-Endosulfan, Endosulfan sulfate, pp-DDT, op-DDT, pp-DDE, pp-DDD, 2,4-D, Aldrin, Dialdrin, Alachlore, Butachlor (by GC/GCMS)
Organo-phosphorous
Monochrotophos, Malathion, Methylparathion, Chlorpyrifos, Ethion, Phorate (by GC/GCMS)
Other pesticides
Atrazine, Isoproturon (by GC/GCMS)

PAHs in water, food and biological samples

Naphthalene, Acenaphthaylene, Acenaphthene, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Fluoranthene, Pyrene, Benz(a)anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(k)fluoranthene, Benzo(a)Pyrene, Indeno(1,2,3-cd)Pyrene, Dibenz(a,h)anthracene, Benzo(ghi)pyrelene (by HPLC)

Scanning of spectra and kinetics on spectrophotometer and spectrofluorometer

Measurement of beta counts on scintillation counter

Analysis of total organic carbon (TOC) in water/effluents

C. Environmental Monitoring and Impact Assessment

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental management plan (EMP)
Particle size analysis
Stack/process emission evaluation and environmental audit
Ambient air quality monitoring
Physical and chemical characterization of soil
Evaluation of work environment (Industrial hygiene) Industrial, community and traffic noise
Micro meteorology
Fibre Toxicology

Monitoring of asbestos in air, water and industrial sludge

D . Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring

Drinking water (as per IS10500)

Physicochemical test (total 24 parameters) Colour, odour, turbidity, specific conductivity, total solids, dissolved solids, suspended solids, pH, COD, silicates as SiO2, phosphates as P, phenolic compounds, total nitrogen as N, ammonical nitrogen as NH3-N, total hardness as CaCO3, calcium hardness as CaCO3, magnesium hardness as CaCO3, chloride as Cl- sulphate as SO4--, nitrate as NO3-N, fluoride as F-, free residual chlorine, total alkalinity as CaCO3, phenoptheline as CaCO3
Analysis of metals Cadmium, Chromium, Iron, Nickel, Copper, Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, Selenium, Boron.
Pesticides (organochlorine or organophosphates)
Bacteriological test: Total and fecal coliform (pathogenic bacteria detection on request)

Raw water (sewage/industrial effluents) as per Pollution Board

Physicochemical test (total 24 parameters) Colour, odour, suspended solids, total solids, dissolved solids, specific conductivity, oil and grease, pH, BOD, COD, volatile solids, fixed solids, total nitrogen as N, chloride as Cl- sulphate as SO4--, nitrate as N, phenolic compounds as phenol, fluoride, cyanide, phosphates as P, free residual chlorine, ammonical nitrogen, sulphide as S--, tannin and lignin
Bacteriological test: Total and fecal coliform
Analysis of metals Cadmium, Chromium, Iron, Nickel, Copper, Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Selenium
Pesticides (organochlorine and organophosphates)

E. Epidemiological Studies

Environmental health studies
Occupational health studies in organized and unorganized industries
Human data generation for safety evaluation
Disease burden studies

Qualitative and quantitative review of epidemiological data

Workplace monitoring for noise, dust, temperature , radiant heat etc.

Monitoring of toxicants in blood, hair, urine etc. of exposed subjects

F. Ecotoxiocological Impact Assessment and Bioremediation

Multi species tests for ecotoxicity evaluation

Bioassay test for acute toxicity to fresh water fish
21 days prolonged toxicity in fish
Acute toxicity in algae (algae growth inhibition test)
Acute immobilization toxicity test in Daphnia
Daphnia reproduction test (chronic toxicity)
Acute toxicity in earthworms

Seed germination test Environmentally safe reuse of effluents for agriculture and aquaculture
Safety evaluation and management of industrial solid wastes

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