News Archive | ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH

New publication: Impact of an immunosuppressive human pharmaceutical on the interaction of a bacterial parasite and its invertebrate host

November 2018

The interaction of pollutants and pathogens may result in altered (often enhanced) effects of the chemical, the biotic stressor or both. While standardised detection methods for immunotoxic effects of chemicals exist with regard to human health, such test systems are lacking for invertebrate species and no guidance is available on how immunotoxic effects of a […]

Interview with Anja Coors in the current iPiE Newsletter

October 2018

ECT is involved in the project ‘Intelligence-led assessment of pharmaceuticals in the environment’ (iPiE). The iPiE project contributes to developing frameworks for intelligence-based environmental testing of pharmaceuticals and for prioritising legacy pharmaceuticals for targeted environmental risk assessment and environmental (bio-) monitoring. The current iPiE newsletter (Newsletter No 6) features an interview with Anja Coors, who […]

New publication: A new ecotoxicological test method for genetically modified plants and other stressors in soil with the black fungus gnat Bradysia impatiens

September 2018

Few suitable and standardised test methods are currently available to test the effects of genetically modified plants (GMP) on non-target organisms. To fill this gap and improve ecotoxicological testing for GMP, we developed a new soil ecotoxicological test method using sciarid larvae as test organisms. Bradysia impatiens was identified as a candidate species. A functional […]

SETAC

New publication: Toward sustainable environmental quality: priority research questions for Europe

August 2018

The United Nations’ sustainable development goals have been established to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. Delivery of the sustainable development goals requires a healthy and productive environment. An understanding of the impacts of chemicals on environmental health is essential for sustainable environmental quality. However, current research on and regulation of […]

D. Leib

New publication: Novel egg life-stage test with Folsomia candida – a case study with cadmium

August 2018

A protocol for a reproduction test with the collembolan Folsomia candida was developed, starting exposure with eggs instead of juveniles as required by OECD test guideline 232. Accordingly, the exposure and, thus, the test duration was extended. The extended test starts with synchronisation of eggs in a thin soil layer on plaster of Paris, selection […]

D. Leib

New publication on potential synergistic interaction between fungicides in toxicity tests with Raphidocelis subcapitata

July 2018

Products used for plant protection or as biocides often contain more than one active substance together with numerous formulation additives. The environmental risk assessment for such commercial mixtures applies as default the concept of concentration addition. There is remaining regulatory concern, however, that underestimation of risks can occur if components in the mixture interact synergistically, […]

T. Junker

New publication: Prospective environmental risk assessment of mixtures in wastewater treatment plant efﬂuents

July 2018

The aquatic environment is continually exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals, with effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as one key source. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether environmental risk assessments addressing individual substances are sufficiently protective for such mixtures. Based on a literature review of chemicals reported to occur […]

Successful renewal of ECT‘s certificate of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)

June 2018

ECT’s GLP certificate, which comprises the categories 4 (Environmental toxicity studies on aquatic and terrestrial organisms) and 5 (Behaviour in water soil and air, bioaccumulation and metabolism), has been renewed in May 2018.

ECT at the 1st International earthworm congress

ECT at First International Earthworm Congress

June 2018

The ‘1st International Earthworm Congress’ (IEC 1) takes place in Shanghai (China) from 24 to 29 June 2018. Jörg Römbke is member of the scientific committee of this conference. In addition, ECT contributes with the following two presentations: […]

ECT at the SETAC Europe 28th Annual Meeting

April 2018

Meet ECT at the SETAC Europe 28th Annual Meeting (‘Responsible and innovative research for environmental quality’) that takes places in Rome, Italy, from May 13th to 17th, 2018. It addition to several platform and poster presentations (see below), ECT is presenting its work and activities at its own booth.