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