News

14. May 2025, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Ecotox Centre at EPFL - Interview with Christof Holliger

Ecotox Centre at EPFL - Interview with Christof Holliger

Christof Holliger, Professor of Environmental Biotechnology at EPFL, has been closely involved with the Ecotox Centre since it was founded in 2008, initially as part of the direction and the strategic steering committee and later as the representative of EPFL on the host institute council. He retired at the end of February 2025. Here he looks back.

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13. May 2025, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology

Assessing the water quality in Lake Geneva

Assessing the water quality in Lake Geneva

Bioassays are also an important complement to chemical analysis in lakes when it comes to determining water quality. The use of numerous bioassays in Lake Geneva shows that fish embryo tests are particularly sensitive. Reporter tests have also provided valuable information on water pollution.

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12. May 2025, Topic: Sediment Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology

Replacement of peat in artificial soils and sediments

Replacement of peat in artificial soils and sediments

Last Tuesday, the Ecotox Centre hosted the kick-off meeting for the OECD project RePEAT, which seeks alternatives to peat as a source of organic matter in artificial soils and sediments.

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28. March 2025, Topic:

Standardisation for sediment test with gammarids

Standardisation for sediment test with gammarids

Chemicals that can accumulate in sediments must be tested for their toxicity to sediment organisms as part of the authorisation process. The Ecotox Centre is collaborating on the OECD standardisation of the sediment toxicity test with the amphipod Gammarus sp. which is endemic to European rivers.

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20. March 2025, Topic: Soil Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Ecotoxicity of munitions contaminated soil

Ecotoxicity of munitions contaminated soil

In areas used for military purposes, the soil can be contaminated with munitions and explosives, resulting in contaminated sites with potential impacts on the environment.

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06. February 2025, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Ecotox Centre in SRF Rundschau on the ecotoxicity of a controversial pesticide

Ecotox Centre in SRF Rundschau on the ecotoxicity of a controversial pesticide

The Ecotox Centre derives ecotoxicologically based limit values for plant protection products on behalf of the federal government, but only some of these values are subsequently anchored in the Water Protection Ordinance and are therefore legally binding.

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05. February 2025, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Ecotox Centre in SRF Kassensturz on oven cleaners

Ecotox Centre in SRF Kassensturz on oven cleaners

Marion Junghans supported SRF Kassensturz in the evaluation of oven sprays.

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31. January 2025, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Successful dissertation

Successful dissertation

We congratulate Ali Kizgin on the successful defence of his dissertation. Over the past four years, Ali has been researching at the Ecotox Centre a key challenge in wastewater management - namely the early detection of pollution events using online biomonitoring.

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20. December 2024, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Webinar: Bioassays for wastewater assessment on 18.2.2025, 14.30-16.00

Webinar: Bioassays for wastewater assessment on 18.2.2025, 14.30-16.00

A new series of webinars organised by the German Water Chemistry Society highlights the opportunities and possibilities of bioassays for assessing water quality. The Ecotox Centre is hosting the first webinar on the use of effect-based methods for wastewater testing.

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04. December 2024, Topic: Soil Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Bioindicators and soil reference values for plant protection products

Bioindicators and soil reference values for plant protection products

The Ecotox Centre is working on a comprehensive concept for monitoring pesticide residues in agricultural soils. As part of the project, we have developed a method for deriving ecotoxicological soil reference values - and have already applied it to two active substances - and have also compiled a toolbox with bioindicators for monitoring the effects of plant protection products.

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