Entries by wp_admin

Adaptation of the current earthworm field study guideline to harmonise field testing and risk evaluation for earthworms

This project has three aims: (1) to compile and critically evaluate standardised earthworm field studies in order to optimise the current test design, (2) to perform a pilot earthworm field study following the improved test design, and (3) to prepare an OECD draft guidance document. After having discussed different design options within the OECD-GSIG expert […]

Meet ECT at the 16th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium

The 16th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium takes place in Forte Village, Santa Margherita di Pula (Sardinia, Italy) from 2 to 6 October 2017. ECT is contributing with the following platform presentation: J. Römbke: Testing of 24 potentially hazardous wastes using ecotoxicological tests For further information on the International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium […]

Development of an ecotoxicological assessment concept for contaminants based on their bioavailability in soils

The German Soil Protection Ordinance defines precautionary values for seven metals/metalloids which, if exceeded, indicate that concern for a harmful soil change exists. All precautionary values given in the German Soil Protection Ordinance are based on total concentrations (aqua regia extraction). However, total metal/metalloid concentrations do not represent the actual exposure of soil organisms to […]

ECT at the SETAC Latin America 12th Biennial Meeting

The 12th Biennial Meeting of SETAC Latin America (‘Bridging the gap between science and governance’) takes place in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil, from 7 to 10 September 2017. ECT is contributing with the following two platform presentations: J. Römbke, J. Bernard: The TRIAD – a new ISO standard for retrospective risk assessment in soil (ISO […]

New publication: Dissipation of micropollutants in a rewetted fen peatland – a field study using treated wastewater

A mixture of treated wastewater and surface water was used to rewet a degraded fen peatland site during a three-year rewetting experiment. Behaviour and effects of micropollutants were studied using hydrological, physico-chemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological monitoring. The highest concentrations of micropollutants in the treated wastewater were found for the pharmaceuticals carbamazepine and diclofenac, some metabolites, […]

Review of the ecotoxicity of boric acid in standard laboratory tests with plants and soil organisms

To verify the sensitivity of ecotoxicological tests, reference substances with known toxicity are regularly tested. Ideally, such substances lack specificity in their mode action, are bioavailable and readily attainable, and their chemical characterisation is cost-effective. Boric acid satisfies these criteria, but has – due to reproductive effects in humans – most recently been characterised as […]

Review of the effects of organic pesticides on enchytraeids (Oligochaeta) in agroecosystems – laboratory and higher-tier tests

Enchytraeids (Oligochaeta, Annelida) are regularly found in agroecosystems of the temperate regions of the world. Although less known than their larger relatives, the earthworms, these saprophagous organisms play similar roles in agricultural soils influencing soil structure and organic matter dynamics and having a central place in soil food webs. Due to difficulties in distinguishing the […]

Meet ECT at the SETAC Europe 27th Annual Meeting

ECT is contributing to the SETAC Europe 27th Annual Meeting (Environmental quality through transdisciplinary collaboration), which is taking place in Brussels, Belgium, from May 7th to 11th, 2017 […]

New publication: Survival, reproduction, growth, and parasite resistance of aquatic organisms exposed to wastewater treated by advanced treatment processes

Advanced wastewater treatment processes are known to be an effective tool for reducing micropollutant discharge into the aquatic environment. Nevertheless, some processes such as ozonation result in stable transformation products with often unknown toxicity. In the present study, effluents from different steps of advanced treatment were compared for their aquatic toxicity. Lumbriculus variegatus, Daphnia magna […]

Report published on ‘Assessment of environmental persistence’

A literature study was performed to review the applicability of established and new tests for biodegradability for assessing persistence in the frame of PBT and vPvB assessments under REACH. Screening tests for ready and inherent biodegradability, proposals for enhanced ready tests as well as newly designed compartment-specific screening tests were analysed for strengths and weaknesses, […]