News
18. May 2020, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Detection of pollutants in food packaging
Food packaging contains complex mixtures of chemicals. A new method can sensitively measure their toxicity and help to find out which substances are responsible for the toxicity.
Read more15. May 2020, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment
TKTD-modelling for dummies
A milestone has been reached by processing one of the TKTD models for the use of practitioners without modelling experience. With the GUTs model, the mortality can be predicted for a given concentration curve of a chemical.
Read more14. May 2020, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology
Invertebrate and microbial communities in contaminated river sediments
The river sediments of Ardières and Tillet are both polluted with complex substance mixtures. The effect of the contamination with PCB on the oligochaete communities was clearly visible. The effect of the contamination on microbial communities was harder to assess because microbes are influenced by a multitude of environmental factors.
Read more14. May 2020, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Guest form Japan
Dr. Kazushi Noro from the Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries in Osaka, Japan, spent five weeks at the Ecotox centre in February and March 2020.
Read more11. May 2020, Topic: Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment , Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Assessment of sediment quality in artificial canals in Valais
Ecotoxicological bioassays and the assessment of invertebrate benthic communities complement physico-chemical analyses when assessing sediment quality. The sediment quality in three artificial channels in the Valais was severely affected.
Read more08. May 2020, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment
Fungicidal azoles cause concern
In Switzerland, these substances are detected in most samples from water, sediment, soil and organisms. However, a lack of toxicity data for many azoles makes it difficult to assess the risk they pose.
Read more23. April 2020, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment
Effect-based limits come into force - milestone for a long-term project
With the amendment to the Water Protection Ordinance of 1 April 2020, an important goal was achieved: For 19 pesticides and three pharmaceuticals, the quality criteria developed by the Ecotox Centre now apply as limit values for surface waters.
Read more17. March 2020, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment
COVID-19 Information
Due to the current situation regarding the coronavirus / COVID-19, all Ecotox Centre offices and labs are closed starting 17 March 2020. Employees work from home and can be contacted via e-mail.
Read more22. November 2019, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment 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.
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