Ecotoxicology

Chemistry
Physics
Biology / Ecology

To achieve the objectives of the course and the conference of competences foreseen to be provided to the students, the teaching-learning process is based on:
– Lectures presenting some ot the theoretical contents of the course, sometimes supported by workshops with computers operated by the students;
– Literature search, focused on a few topics of interest;
– Implementation and discussion of computer assays.
The classification of the Curricular Unit is obtained by the weighted average of the marks obtained in theoretical and practical examination.

The learning outcome of the Ecotoxicology Course is to provide students the general information and training that will allow them to understand the ecotoxicological effects of the stress agents and their environmental dynamics in order to understand ecological risk assessment and management.

THEORETICAL CLASSES
1. Ecotoxicology – Fundamental concepts
2. Study of the effects of contaminants on biological systems
3. Environmental exposure to contaminants
4. Biomonitoring
5. Assessment and management of ecological risk
PRACTICAL CLASSES
Analysis of toxicological and ecotoxicological aspects of pesticides.
Study of the effects of contaminants on biological systems, by conducting acute and chronic toxicity tests – application to various samples.
Visits to laboratories for observing methodologies and laboratory execution of ecotoxicological tests with aquatic organisms (such as fish, microalgae, daphnia …) and soil organisms (collembolans, annelids, …).
Use of models to determine the behavior and fate of chemical agents in the environment. Calculation of the environmental distribution and PEC, by application of the Mackay model.
Case Study.

• - Teste Teórico - Prático - 100.0%

• - Teste Teórico - 75.0%
• - Teste Prático - 25.0%

NAO

Callow, P. (Ed.) (1994) Handbook of Ecotoxicology. Vols. 1 e 2, Blackwell Scientific Publications, London.

Moriarty, F. 1999. Ecotoxicology. The study of pollutants in Ecosystems. 4ª ed. Academic Press. London. ISBN: 978-0125067638

Bacci, E. 1994. Ecotoxicology of Organic Contaminants. Lewis Publ., London. ISBN: 1566700221

Hornsby, A.G.; Wauchope, R.D.; Herner, A.E. 1996. Pesticide properties in the environment. Springer-Verlag, New York, 227 p. ISBN: 978-0-387-94353-4.

Walker, C.H., Sibly, R.M., Hopkin, S.P., Peakall, D.B. 2012. Principles of Ecotoxicology. 4ª ed, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London. ISBN: 978-1-439-86266-7

Hoffman D.J., Rattner, B.A., Burton Jr., G.A., Cairns Jr., J. (2002) Handbook of Ecotoxicology, 2nd Edition. CRC Press. ISBN-13: 978-1566705462

Moreno Grau, M.D. 2005. Toxicologia Ambiental. McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-8-448-13781-6.

Connell, D., Lam, P., Richardson, B., Wu, R. 1999. Introduction to Ecotoxicology. Blackwell Science Publications, London. ISBN: 978-0-632-03852-7.

Landis, Wayne G. 2010. Introduction to Environmental Toxicology: Impacts of Chemicals Upon Ecological Systems. 4ª ed. Taylor and Francis, ISBN 1439804109, 9781439804100.

Zakrzewski, S. 2002. Environmental Toxicology. 3ª ed. Oxford University Press, UK. ISBN: 978-0-195-14811-4.