News

19. May 2022, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology

Sensitive bioassays on HPTLC plates

Sensitive bioassays on HPTLC plates

The Ecotox Centre has advanced an innovative method to sensitively determine the toxicity of unknown mixtures and unmask the responsible substances. This is not only interesting for food safety, but also for environmental analysis.

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13. May 2022, Topic: Risk Assessment

New large-scale project on the risk assessment of chemicals

New large-scale project on the risk assessment of chemicals

Together with partners from Switzerland and the EU, the Ecotox Centre compares the prospective and retrospective risk assessment of pesticides and further develops assessment approaches and concepts. Further activities concern the assessment of substance mixtures and the monitoring of endocrine disruptors and perfluorinated chemicals in the environment.

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14. April 2022, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Elevated ecotoxicological risks through pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides

Elevated ecotoxicological risks through pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides

Pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides were detected in small streams at all 17 sampling sites that were investigated during the 2019 NAWA monitoring campaign. Although the measured concentrations were mostly low, they pose a significant risk to aquatic organisms.

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06. April 2022, Topic: Sediment Ecotoxicology , Aquatic Ecotoxicology

Biomarkers in chironomids for the detection of sediment quality

Biomarkers in chironomids for the detection of sediment quality

By measuring gene expression, effects can be detected that do not directly lead to death , but can trigger an effect-specific stress response and thus cause long-term damage to the organism.

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16. February 2022, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Video: Sampling and assessment of sediment quality

Video: Sampling and assessment of sediment quality

Sediments play an important role in surface water protection. Watch a video to see how a sediment sample is taken and processed.

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14. January 2022, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Ecotox Centre webinar with Dr. Jos Brils, January 18, 16:00 - 17:00

Ecotox Centre webinar with Dr. Jos Brils, January 18, 16:00 - 17:00

The Ecotox Centre would like to invite you to a webinar with Dr Jos Brils (Deltares, NL) on "Sediment management from a WFD perspective".

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17. December 2021, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Expert report: Strategy for assessing sediment quality in Switzerland

Expert report: Strategy for assessing sediment quality in Switzerland

Sediments play a crucial role for surface water quality. However, until now there has been no uniform method for the cantons to monitor sediment quality. On behalf of the Federal Office for the Environment, experts from the Ecotox Centre have drawn up a proposal on how sediments in Switzerland should be sampled, processed and assessed.

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23. November 2021, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology

Tire wear as a source of pollutants

Tire wear as a source of pollutants

Although large quantities of tire wear are released into the environment, we still know little about the toxicity of those small particles. The particles contain not only rubber, but also numerous metals and organic substances. Researchers from the Ecotox Centre, EPFL and Eawag are currently investigating whether these substances are bioavailable and what toxic effects they may have.

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19. November 2021, Topic: Risk Assessment

New proposals for quality standards

New proposals for quality standards

Quality standards are proposed for the first time for the pesticides fenpropimorph, fipronil and permethrin and the drug erythromycin.

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16. November 2021, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Project on rodent poisons

Project on rodent poisons

Anticoagulants are highly toxic chemical substances that are used to control harmful rodents such as mice and rats. In a new project the Ecotox Centre aims to assess the environmental contamination with anticoagulants in Switzerland.

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