News

20. November 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Legally binding effect-based quality criteria for Switzerland

Legally binding effect-based quality criteria for Switzerland

The Ecotox Centre is currently adapting numerous proposals for quality criteria before they become legally binding in 2018.

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18. November 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology

Estrogens from agriculture

Estrogens from agriculture

A joint project by Agroscope and the Ecotox Centre investigates the discharge and fate of natural estrogens from agriculture. The aim is to quantitatively assess the occurrence, the behaviour and the importance of estrogens from agriculture for surface waters in Switzerland. The project is financed by the Federal Office for the Environment.

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27. October 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology

Sediment storage conditions influence biotest results

Sediment storage conditions influence biotest results

New results from the Ecotox Centre show that freezing has a pronounced influence on sediment toxicity.

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21. July 2016, Topic: Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment , Aquatic Ecotoxicology

Metals in Swiss sediments

Metals in Swiss sediments

A new report summarizes the available data on metals in Swiss sediments and enables a prioritization of these important contaminants.

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27. May 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Successful evaluation of the Ecotox Centre

Successful evaluation of the Ecotox Centre

In 2015, the Ecotox Centre was evaluated by external experts. The evaluation report has now been published: Overall, the development of the Ecotox Centre and its services and impacts were rated very positively.

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18. May 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology

Passive samplers as investigators find PCB source in the Birs

Passive samplers as investigators find PCB source in the Birs

Several years ago fish in the river Birs were polluted with PCBs way beyond the legal threshold but the pollutant source remained unknown. With the help of passive samplers the source in a manufacturing plant could be revealed.

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18. May 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Ecotoxicity of corrosion inhibitors

Ecotoxicity of corrosion inhibitors

Corrosion inhibitors protect steel structures from oxidative degradation but ingredients may be washed out that are harmful to water organisms. Two of the four corrosion inhibitors investigated by the Ecotox Centre released ecotoxic and estrogenic compounds.

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17. May 2016, Topic: Soil Ecotoxicology

Development of a new earthworm assay

Development of a new earthworm assay

The Ecotox Centre has adapted the bait lamina test to measure the feeding activity of earthworms in the laboratory. The test gives functional answers that are relevant for the ecosystem and in the future could improve the risk assessment of chemicals.

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17. May 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology

Sediment quality in the Venoge

Sediment quality in the Venoge

Do the sediments in the Venoge contribute to the rivers inferior water quality? To answer this question the Ecotox Centre has assessed the water quality with bioassays and chemical analyses.

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17. May 2016, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Progress in the sediment module for the Modular Stepwise Procedure

Progress in the sediment module for the Modular Stepwise Procedure

Together with Eawag and the Federal Office for the Environment, the Ecotox Centre has been working on a sediment module for the assessment of streams since January 2015.

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