News - Aquatic Ecotoxicology
22. November 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology, Soil Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
"Ecotoxicology will continue to gain in importance" - in conversation with Inge Werner
The longtime former head of the Ecotox Centre, Inge Werner, handed over management to Benoit Ferrari on 1 September. Here she reflects on the past and future of practical ecotoxicology in Switzerland.
Read more22. November 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Few estrogens in Europe's rivers
Studies with biotests have shown it: Most European watercourses do not contain estrogenic substances in critical concentrations. Switzerland has also participated in the huge monitoring project initiated by the Ecotox Centre. All Swiss samples were harmless.
Read more21. November 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
Ecotoxicological effects of pesticides in stream sediments
Pesticides in sediments cause adverse effects on benthic organisms. This was shown by a monitoring study conducted by the Ecotox Centre and Eawag on five streams in agricultural areas. Crustaceans were particularly affected. Concentrations of several insecticides, including chlorpyrifos and the pyrethroid cypermethrin, exceeded effect thresholds, indicating impaired sediment quality.
Read more19. November 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
Video tutorial on the L-YES
A video tutorial shows the preparation and execution of the yeast estrogen screen with lyticase for the detection of estrogenic substances.
Read more04. November 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
How do plant production products affect Swiss fish?
Pesticides detected in Swiss streams pose a risk to the fish living there. Harmful effects on the fish, particularly through sublethal and indirect effects, are possible in the measured concentrations.
Read more04. November 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
Homing in on pyrethroids
The measurement of trace concentrations of pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides – now possible thanks to a newly developed analytical method – shows that these compounds can pose a greater threat to aquatic organisms than all other pesticides.
Read more17. September 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Soil Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
Ecotox Centre at EPFL anniversary
At the Ecotox Centre's stand visitors learned how springtails and other creepy crawlies measure environmental pollutants.
Read more30. August 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Soil Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
Benoît Ferrari takes over as interim director of the Ecotox Centre
On 1 September 2019, Benoît Ferrari will take over as interim director of the Ecotox Centre. Benoît Ferrari is an expert on the ecotoxicity of sediments and has been group leader for sediment and soil ecotoxicology at the Ecotox Centre in Lausanne since 2013. The current director, Inge Werner, will remain with the Ecotox Centre on a part-time basis until 2021.
Read more17. May 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology
Oligochaetes show influence of WWTP effluent on sediments
The biological quality of two Swiss river sediments downstream of wastewater treatment plants is significantly worse than upstream. The Ecotox Centre scientists have been able to show this using oligochaetes .
Read more10. May 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Sediment Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment
Do EQS protect against the spread of antibiotic resistance?
The environmental pollution with antibiotics can lead to more resistance against these substances. However, the generation of antibiotic resistance is not taken into account when deriving environmental quality criteria (EQS). For eight substances, the Ecotox Centre has investigated whether the available EQS also protect against the development of antibiotic resistance in surface waters.
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