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

In compliance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), ECT conducts a broad range of ecotoxicity tests with aquatic and terrestrial organisms, bioaccumulation and environmental fate studies. ECT’s certificate of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), which comprises the categories 4 (‘Environmental toxicity studies on aquatic and terrestrial organisms’) and 5 (‘Studies on behaviour in water, soil and air; […]

Technical proficiency study for OECD 229 successfully completed – capacity for fish short-term reproduction assays available in 2021 and 2022

The fish short-term reproduction assay according to OECD test guideline 229 serves as Level 3 in vivo assay within the OECD Conceptual framework for the testing and assessment of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Laboratories aiming to conduct this assay must demonstrate their ability by performing a technical proficiency study with reference compounds. ECT has successfully completed […]

Publication on global data on earthworm abundance, biomass and diversity

Data collected by ECT in the frame of various research projects in the last decades contributed to a publication on the global abundance and diversity of earthworms. Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large […]

New project started: ‘Prioritisation and risk evaluation of medicines in the environment’ (PREMIER)

The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) project PREMIER aims to develop a centralised, user-friendly digital assessment system accessible for all relevant stakeholders. PREMIER will also explore options to incorporate environment considerations earlier in the drug development process to inform drug design and to reduce the need of animal testing. ECT is involved in this project as […]

Review on the environmental fate and effects of water-soluble synthetic organic polymers

Because of their usually high molecular weight, polymers are generally considered as being of low environmental concern and are, therefore, exempted from registration and evaluation within REACH. This exemption is currently being reviewed by the European Commission. Against this background, data on the environmental fate and effects of selected water-soluble synthetic organic polymers used in […]

Report published on adaptations for a harmonized field-testing procedure and risk assessment of earthworms

A project funded by the German Environment Agency was performed to provide scientifically robust and practical information on the variability of the endpoints assessed in earthworm field studies, the statistical significance of the results and the level of the statistically detectable effects of the chemicals tested with the aim of developing suggestions for improving the […]

New publication: Toxicity of carbendazim to earthworms under tropical and temperate conditions

Research on potential side-effects of pesticides on beneficial organisms has focused on temperate test species and conditions. Thus, there is a need for ecotoxicity studies for pesticides under tropical conditions. The present study aimed to compare the acute and chronic toxicity of the fungicide carbendazim to the earthworm Eisenia fetida under tropical and temperate conditions. […]

ECT remains operative during COVID-19 pandemic

ECT remains to be open and operative during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We take thorough precautions to avoid any health impact and risks for ECT employees, meaning the increase of remote work options and practicing social distancing where remote work is not possible. Access to our facilities is strongly restricted and any business travelling on […]

ECT contributes to the SETAC SciCon

In view of the current situation due to Covid-19, the SETAC Europe 30th annual meeting will take place as a virtual meeting (SETAC SciCon). ECT Oekotoxikologie as SETAC Europe partner is contributing to the scientific programme of the SETAC SciCon: In the ‘Soil ecotoxicology’ session, Jörg Römbke is co-author of a talk presented by Kees […]