Lethal and sublethal endpoints observed for Artemia exposed to two reference toxicants and an ecotoxicological concern organic compound

• Swimming speed and mortality of Artemia franciscana have evaluated by acute tests.
• The swimming speed is sensitive and comparable to the hatching rate.
• The swimming and the hatching show to be preferable to the mortality.
• The swimming and hatching tests observe toxic effects at low concentrations.
• These endpoints are comparable to the response of other marine organisms.

Swimming speed alteration and mortality assays with the marine crustacean Artemia franciscana were carried out. EC50 and LC50 values after 24–48 h exposures were calculated for two reference toxicants, copper sulphate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS), and an ecotoxicological concern organic compound, Diethylene Glycol (DEG).Different end-points have been evaluated, in order to point out their sensitivity levels. The swimming speed alteration (SSA) was compared to mortality values and also to the hatching rate inhibition (literature data). SSA resulted to be more sensitive than the mortality and with a sensitivity comparable to (or even higher than) the hatching rate endpoint.