Tracking Tadpole Stress: Waterborne Hormone Assays in Action
When it comes to environmental pollution, amphibians are often on the front lines of exposure. Their permeable skin and aquatic life stages make them particularly vulnerable to pollutants like nitrate, a common component of fertilizers. In a recent study of Rana temporaria tadpoles, researchers looked at how different nitrate levels affected development and physiology, including non-invasive corticosterone measurements taken from the water.
Hormones Offer Clues to Pollution Stress
To assess stress responses, the team employed a waterborne sampling protocol and analyzed the samples using Arbor Assays’ DetectX® Corticosterone Multi-Format ELISA Kit (K014-H). The results showed that tadpoles exposed to higher nitrate concentrations exhibited elevated corticosterone (CORT) release rates, delayed metamorphosis, lower body mass, and reduced body condition. These physiological changes serve as essential indicators of sublethal stress, supporting the use and continued study of waterborne hormones as a tool in conservation physiology.
Building on Prior Work
The study adds to growing evidence that corticosterone can be effectively measured in amphibian water samples. Arbor Assays’ kit was used in many of the cited references, including studies on Rana arvalis (Moor frog) and Physalaemus pustulosus, a tropical frog. You can read more about the tropical frog study in our blog on waterborne corticosterone.
From Pond Water to Plate Reader
Identifying reliable, non-invasive biomarkers, such as waterborne corticosterone, can help researchers better understand how stressors impact wildlife without harming the animals being studied. In species where repeated or large-scale sampling is necessary, this approach reduces handling time and potential stress effects that can confound results.
Why Researchers Choose Arbor Assays
When working with new species or novel sampling methods, researchers need an assay they can trust—one that’s flexible, reliable, and backed by real support. That’s why so many labs choose Arbor Assays.
The DetectX® Corticosterone Multi-Format ELISA Kit (K014-H) is:
- Proven effective for non-invasive sample types like water, feces, hair, feathers, and urine
- Highly sensitive and fast, detecting as little as 14.4 pg/mL with a broad dynamic range in under 2 hours
- Easy to adapt and validate for new species or matrices using internal controls and straightforward protocols
- Supported by real scientists, not call centers. Our knowledgeable customer service team is available to troubleshoot and guide validation steps when needed
- Cited in 500+ peer-reviewed studies, including multiple publications sampling waterborne hormones
Ready to explore more? Visit the DetectX® Corticosterone Multi-Format ELISA Kit product page.
Featured Products
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In StockCorticosterone Multi-Format ELISA Kit
$366.00 – $1,462.00The DetectX® Corticosterone Multi-Format ELISA Kits quantitatively measures corticosterone present in a variety of samples.
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