News
02. April 2024
Ecotox Centre study leads to postulate in Zurich Cantonal Council
A recent study by the Ecotox Centre has shown that nature reserves are also contaminated with pesticides. A postulate based on this study has now been submitted to the Zurich Cantonal Council.
Read more18. March 2024
PFAS course attracts interest
To provide comprehensive information about PFAS and their toxicity to the environment and humans, the Ecotox Centre has organised a course last week, which was attended by more than 80 participants.
Read more16. February 2024
Info sheet on sunscreens in surface waters
Sunscreens protect us against skin cancer, but can also be harmful to organisms in lakes. A new Ecotox Centre info sheet provides information about the various UV filters and gives recommendations for more eco-friendly sun protection.
Read more13. February 2024
Quality criteria: data sheets available on website
The Ecotox Centre has derived environmental quality criteria for more than 100 substances. We have now made the associated data sheets available on our website so that the process leading to these values can be understood.
Read more25. January 2024
Threshold values for anticoagulants in the liver of birds of prey
With these values, the Ecotox Centre wants to find out whether further measures are necessary to better protect birds of prey from rodent poisons.
Read more30. November 2023
European EQS experts meet at the Ecotox Centre
The quality criteria experts from numerous European countries met at the Ecotox Centre for their first face-to-face meeting since the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more23. November 2023
Biotopes of national importance are also contaminated with plant protection products
The investigation of nine amphibian spawning grounds and three fens has shown that these biotopes of national importance are contaminated with numerous plant protection products. Insecticides from the pyrethroid group in particular exceeded the legal limits and chronic quality criteria, in some cases many fold.
Read more22. November 2023
Database with quality criteria and other ecotoxicological threshold values
The Ecotox Centre maintains a database of environmental quality criteria (EQC) and other ecotoxicological threshold values, which currently contains over 2000 entries on almost 600 substances.
Read more17. November 2023
Assessment of the water quality of the Vuachère in Lausanne
Numerous micropollutants have been detected in the Vuachère, some of which originate from the discharge of untreated wastewater. These substances, such as the pharmaceutical ibuprofen, the herbicide diuron and the insecticides diazinon, fipronil, chlorpyriphos and fenpropathrin, pose ecotoxicological risks.
Read more10. November 2023
Bait lamina assay helps measuring soil fertility
The bait lamina assay is suitable for investigating how plant protection products influence the feeding activity of soil organisms and the decomposition of organic matter. This decomposition is important for soil fertility.
Read more