UWeBZ

Alternative Methods: Investigation of electrical anaesthesia as an effective and humane method of euthanasia for zebrafish (Danio Rerio)

01/04/2023 to 01/03/2026

The project aims to investigate the effects of electrical anaesthesia as an alternative euthanasia method in the zebrafish, which is an increasingly popular model organism in biomedical research. In principle, three euthanasia methods are approved for zebrafish in Europe. However, currently, only the overdose of a chemical anaesthetic is applicable. This method is suboptimal, as it causes aversive reactions and potentially suffering through its slow and unreliable action. Electrical stunning is a method approved in principle for zebrafish, but it is not used because the parameters for efficacious and humane euthanasia are
unknown and the necessary equipment has not yet been developed. In this project, a protocol for electrical stunning will be developed and the effect on behaviour and brain activity will be investigated. If successful, a less stressful euthanasia method can be created for over 5 million zebrafish used in research worldwide.