ECOTOXICOLOGY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Knowledge of basic and applied ecology, inorganic and organic chemistry, environmental chemistry.
Final oral exam. The oral examination will focus on questions related to the program in order to define the knowledge and understanding (25%), the ability to apply knowledge and understanding (25%), the independence of judgment (15%), communication skills (15%) and learning ability (20%) in relation to the concepts of ecotoxicology.
This course aims at providing the student with the knowledge to understand the basis of ecotoxicology, which includes the fate and distribution of contaminants in the environment (in other terms the concentrations of exposure of the ecosystems) and the effects of these substances to the ecosystems.
PART 1 (24h)
Intro: definition and placement within the other disciplines. Differences between toxicology and ecotoxicology. Environmental risk assessment (ERA). (6 h)
Study of the exposure: environmental monitoring, advantages and disadvantages. Partition processes, diffusion and mass transport. Bioconcentration, biomagnification and bioaccumulation. Biotic and abiotic degradation. (10 h)
Five stage strategy for chemical evaluation, chemical classification, study of emission, emission estimate. Exposure models: some examples. (8h)
PART 2 (24h)
Study of the effects: basis of toxicology (uptake, distribution, excretion and metabolism). (4h)
Ecotoxicity essays : laboratory tests for aquatic and terrestrial environments. Bioindicators and biomarkers. (12 h)
Ecotoxicology evaluation, quality standards and criteria, mixtures of chemicals. (8h)
Walker C. H., Hopkin S. P., Sibly R.M., Peakall D.B. (2006) Principles of Ecotoxicology , CRC Press.
Additional material will be made available by the lecturer.
Slides will be available on the e-learning website.
Lectures. Within the lectures some time will be devoted to focus some case studies of contaminants in specific ecosystem to show the fundamental importance of the discipline.
Get in touch with the lecturer to obtain an appointment.