Standardised Methods for Feed Tabs Preparation to Assess Feeding Rate and Exposure to Insoluble Substances in Parhyale hawaiensis v1

This protocol outlines standardised procedures for preparing feed tabs to assess feeding rates and conduct dietary toxicity testing of insoluble substances in Parhyale hawaiensis. By addressing the need for reliable testing methodologies, particularly those for evaluating the effects of insoluble pollutants on aquatic organisms, this protocol offers a robust framework for researchers. It facilitates comprehensive ecotoxicological studies, contributing to a better understanding of the environmental risks of toxicants (soluble or insoluble) using feeding metrics in marine ecosystems. This protocol uses benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), as a model toxicant because of its ecotoxicological concerns and physicochemical properties (e.g. low water solubility [0.00162 mg/L at 25°C], high lipid–water partition coefficient [log Klipw 7.35], and high octanol-water partition coefficient [log Kow 6.13]). Because BaP has low solubility, toxicity investigations must include assessment via diet as a more realistic and reliable method to assess its effects on aquatic organisms rather than just aqueous exposure.