Università Roma Tre

Introductory concepts: Classical Toxicology, Ecotoxicology and differences between them. Different classes of contaminants: known and emerging. Exposure to pollutants: Resistance, Resilience, Bioconcentration, Biomagnification and abiotic Degradation Processes, Biodegradation and Metabolism. Exposure Prediction: environmental monitoring and predictive models. Risk estimation: risk index formulation. Prediction of resistance to degradation: qualitative and quantitative models. Prediction of pollutant effects: QSAR (Toxicity based on molecular properties, partition coefficients) and Environmental Quality Criteria. Effects of toxic substances at various levels of complexity (cell, individual, population, community); acute and chronic toxicity; toxicity and ecotoxicity tests and use of different model organisms. (Eco-)toxicological testing in active biomonitoring. Different types of tests based on matrix to be analyzed (water, soil, air), mode of contaminant administration (static, periodic, continuous), time of contaminant administration (acute, chronic), type of biomarker response (molecular, physiological, cytological, morphological). Embryonic ecotoxicology and teratogenesis tests: effect of toxicants at embryonic level. Standardized and experimental tests. OECD and ISO guidelines. Case studies and applications of ecotoxicological research. Experimental activities in the laboratory.

Marco Vighi e Eros Bacci, Ecotossicologia, UTET, 1998.

Additional teaching material will be provided during the course

Introduction: differences between classical, environmental toxicology and ecotoxicology; basics of classical and functional ecology. Classes of contaminants, general and emerging. Study of the effects of pollutants: fate of pollutants in organisms, molecular effects, acute and chronic toxicity; laboratory essays; biomarkers (general, exposure, effect and specific). Embryonic ecotoxicology: effect of toxic substances at the embryonic level, during postnatal development, in adult life and during aging. Prediction of the effects of pollutants: QSAR (Toxicity based on molecular properties, partition coefficients and application examples) and Environmental Quality Criteria. Exposure to pollutants: biogeochemical cycles, bioconcentration, bioaccumulation and biomagnification, food toxicology and degradation processes (resistance, residence, biodegradation, metabolism, abiotic degradation). Exposure forecast: environmental monitoring and forecasting models; prediction of resistance to degradation (qualitative and quantitative models). Risk Estimation: risk index formulation and application examples.

Marco Vighi e Eros Bacci, Ecotossicologia, UTET, 1998.