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Terminated in academic year 2023/2024

Ecotoxicology

Type of study Bachelor
Language of instruction Czech
Code 546-0067/01
Abbreviation ETOX
Course title Ecotoxicology
Credits 4
Coordinating department Department of Environmental Engineering
Course coordinator doc. Mgr. Eva Pertile, Ph.D.

Subject syllabus

1. History and position of ecotoxicology as a science on the effects of stressors on ecosystems and their living components; relationships and links of ecotoxicology with other biological sciences and environmental sciences.
2. Chemicals in ecosystems; parameters of chemicals relevant to ecotoxicology (general and specific parameters); biotic transformation - biodegradation, metabolism of toxic substances.
3. Basic ecotoxicology of natural organisms; exposure-dose-response, toxo-kinetics and toxodynamics concepts; acute vs. chronic toxicity; genotoxicity vs. carcinogenicity;
4. Biomarkers; hierarchy of biological systems - specifics and effects of (chemical) stressors at different levels.
5. Effects on different types of living organisms; ecotoxicology of producers - cyanobacteria, algae and higher plants; consumer ecotoxicology; man as part of ecosystems; ecotoxicology of destructors - bacteria, fungi.
6. Stress (chemical) at communities and community ecosystems; links between components of ecosystems, trophy levels; the effects of chemical stress on an ecosystem level; aquatic and terrestrial environment, case studies, ecosystem health indicators; saprobita vs. toxicity.
7. Experiments in ecotoxicology; laboratory testing vs. natural in situ studies and biomonitoring; design and organization of experiments of varying complexity; standardizability, repeatability, ecological interpretation of results.
8. Ecotoxicology study methods: laboratory bioassays; derivation and interpretation of ECx, LCx, LO (A) EL, NO (A) EL; methods of studying effects for aquatic and terrestrial organisms; more generic testing - laboratory microcosms; microbial ecotoxicology.
9. Methods of ecotoxicology in situ studies (types and selection of organisms and exposure, negative - background control values); biomonitoring.
10. Major classes of toxic substances in RU I; pure substances vs. mixtures; industrial and municipal waste, substances deliberately brought into ecosystems; brief characteristics of the main groups (input into the environment, fate and toxic effects).
11. Major Classes of Toxic Substances in the Environment II; pure substances vs. mixtures; industrial and municipal waste, substances deliberately brought into ecosystems; brief characteristics of the main groups (input into the environment, fate and toxic effects).
12. Application of Ecotoxicological Principles and the Importance of Modeling Structure-Biological Activity (QSAR), mathematical models for the fate and transport of substances in the environment and food chains. ecological risks national and international standards for ecotoxicology.
13. Legal use of knowledge of ecotoxicology, related practical aspects, standards; hygiene assessment of environmental quality - derivation and issues of safe limits.

Literature

BEGUM Ghousia (edit.): Ecotoxicology. 2012. Printed in Croatia. ISBN 978-953-51-0027-0 . Dostupné z: http://library.umac.mo/ebooks/b28113652.pdf.
HODGSON E.: A Text Book of Modern Toxicology. 3 th Edition. Edited by Ernest Hodgson Department of Environmental and Biochemical Toxicology North Carolina State University. 2004. Dostupné z: http://elibrary.bsu.az/azad/new/2472.pdf.
HOFFMAN, D.J ., BARNETT, A., RATTNER, G., BURTON, A., CAIRNS, J. Handbook of Ecotoxicology, Second Edition (eKniha Google). CRC Press LLC, 2003.

Advised literature

HOFFMAN, D.J., BARNETT, A., RATTNER, G., BURTON, A., CAIRNS, J. Handbook of Ecotoxicology, Second Edition (eKniha Google). CRC Press LLC, 2003.
NEWMAN, M. C., W. H. CLEMENTS. Ecotoxicology: a comprehensive treatment. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2008. ISBN 9780849333576 .
WALKER, C.H., R.M. SIBLY, S.P. HOPKIN, D.B. PEAKALL. 4th edition. CRC Press LLC. 2012. ISBN 9781439862667 .