Sciences and technologies for environment and resources

ECO-TOXICOLOGY
cod. 16562

Professor

Academic discipline

Ecologia (BIO/07)

Field

Attività formative affini o integrative

Type of training activity

Related/supplementary

42 hours
of face-to-face activities

6 credits

hub: PARMA

course unit
in - - -

Learning objectives

To provide knowledge of the available methods to predict and monitor the impact of potentially harmful chemicals on natural ecosystems

Prerequisites

- - -

Course unit content

Part I: From toxicology to ecotoxicology
Analysis of toxic effects:
- acute, chronic and sublethal effects
- response: binary and continuous variables
- experimental design and analysis of concentration-response data
- limits of laboratory tests

Part II: Application in environmental toxicology
General criteria for selecting test types and methodology.
Toxicology of aquatic systems:
- tests with freshwater and marine organisms
- sediment toxicity tests.
Toxicology of terrestrial systems.
Biomarkers: principles and applications

Part III: Prediction of toxicity and environmental quality criteria
Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSARs): principles and applications
Environmental quality criteria: the different approaches to their quantification
Complex mixtures
Toxicity identification and evaluation (TIE)

Part IV: Biodegradability and environmental fate
Physical-chemical properties of toxicants in predictive ecotoxicology.
Degradation processes
Bioaccumulation, bioconcentration and biomagnification.
Fate models

Part V: Risk assessment
General principles and applications.
Legislation

Laboratory practical
Acute toxicity tests with freshwater invertebrates

Full programme

- - -

Bibliography

o Recommended readings: Vighi M., Bacci E. (1998). Ecotossicologia. UTET, Torino

Calow P. (1994). Handbook of Ecotoxicology. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. Vol. 1 and 2.

Teaching methods

Oral lesson and laboratory

Assessment methods and criteria

Oral exam

ECO-TOXICOLOGY cod. 16562