Determining the LC50 of Toluene for Drosophila melanogaster

Toluene, a volatile organic compound, is used as an industrial feedstock and as an additive in gasoline; as a result, it can be found in the atmosphere around refineries and combustion engines. Although toluene has not been deemed carcinogenic, it has been shown to negatively affect multiple body systems and fetal development. Currently, we are determining the lethal concentration of toluene that kills 50% (LC₅₀) of a test population of the common fruit fly, D. melanogaster. We have developed a system to introduce regulated concentrations of toluene gas to the flies by pumping compressed air through liquid toluene and into their holding chamber. Finding the LC₅₀, which is the benchmark concentration for toxicity studies, is the first step in a larger study to determine the mutagenic and genotoxic effects of toluene on D. melanogaster’s embryonic and physiological development.