Bi5620 Ecotoxicological Bioassays

Faculty of Science
Spring 2017
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Klára Hilscherová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. Ing. Blahoslav Maršálek, CSc. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. RNDr. Pavel Čupr, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Luděk Bláha, Ph.D.
RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Klára Hilscherová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 20. 2. to Mon 22. 5. Wed 9:00–10:50 D29/252-RCX1
Prerequisites (in Czech)
NOW( Bi5620c Ecotox. Bioassays - pr. )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main objective of this class is to get an overview and deeper expert knowledge and competences in the field of ecotoxicological assessment of hazardous properties of various types of materials and chemical compounds

At the end of this course, students should be able to:
- explain the legislation framework of ecotoxicological biotests, the approaches for evaluation of ecotoxicity of chemical compounds and hazardous materials in CR and EU
- know the guidelines, their structure and system of standardized ecotoxicological biotests
- discuss the applicability of standard and alternative methods for practice
- select the best approaches and model organisms for ecotoxicological assessment of test materials
- suggest the optimal test or battery of tests according to the requirement of the study
- assemble design of single or multifactorial ecotoxicity tests
- assess the limitations and advantages of bacterial tests for toxicity and genotoxicity
- characterize the most often used batteries of biotests, tests with the model autotrophic organisms (producents) and consuments
- compare the biotests for assessment of toxicity of solid environmental matrices
- describe the options for evaluation of toxicity for higher animals in terrestrial and aquatic environment
- argue applicability and the need of in vitro and in vivo tests for ecotoxicity evaluation
- consider potential influence of other factors on the test outcomes
- determine and calculate the crucial parameters characterizing the toxicity from the test results
- combine the information obtained by biotests with data from chemical analysis for effective risk assessment of polluted environmental matrices
- integrate the results from various types of biotests for the purpose of risk assessment
- analyze in detail and critically interpret the biotest outcomes in broader context
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to the class, terminology, needs, requirements and classification of ecotoxicological biotests
  • 2. Three generations of ecotoxicological biotests, characterization. Single-species and multi-species biotests. Ethical and legislative context, alternative biotests. Test design, representativeness and factors affecting interpretation of test results.
  • 3. Legislative framework of ecotoxicological biotests (CSN, ISO, OECD, US EPA). Required, recommended and alternative tests. Availability of standardized methods, good laboratory practice. Standardization and accreditation of ecotoxicological biotests. National and international approaches for testing of chemicals (REACH)
  • 4. Tests of ecotoxicity for destruents – types, limitations, interpretation and representativeness in ecological risk assessment
  • 5. Tests for genotoxicity – classification of tests for genotoxicity and mutagenity, description of methods, limitations, interpretation and extrapolation of results
  • 6. Ecotoxicological biotests with producents, tests with algae and macrophytes. Factors influencing the selection of biotest, test design, data analysis and interpretation
  • 7. Ecotoxicological biotests with consuments - invertebrates and amphibians
  • 8. Biotests for assessment of air quality. Mosses and lichens
  • 9. Assessment of sediment toxicity, contact tests, tests of eluates
  • 10. Ecotoxicological biotests for evaluation of soil toxicity, exposure in soil environment, bioavailibility, artificial soil, model species – invertebrates, plants
  • 11. Prolonged and chronic ecotoxicological biotests. Physiological activity of test organisms as a marker of longer-term effects
  • 12. Ecotoxicological biotests with fish, acute, chronic effects, embryonal and embryolarval tests, test of bioaccumulation
  • 13. Tests of toxicity for wild living vertebrates (birds, mammals). Standardization, applicability
  • 14. Factors affecting the outcome of toxicity tests, sources of variability, interpretation
  • 15. Special ecotoxicological biotests. Microcosms, mezocosms. Biological systems of early warning
  • 16. Bateries of ecotoxicological biotests, selection of battery, important components
  • 17. Ecological context of biotests, biodegradation, bioconcentration. Integrative approach for evaluation of biotests and chemical analysis
  • 18. Study of biochemical and cellular mechanisms of toxicity in ecotoxicological biotests, biomarkers of exposure and effect. In vitro ecotoxicological biotests
  • 19. Analysis of data from ecotoxicological biotests, hormesis, mixture toxicity, QSAR
Literature
  • NEWMAN, Michael C. and William H. CLEMENTS. Ecotoxicology : a comprehensive treatment. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 2008, 852 s. ISBN 9780849333576. info
  • NEWMAN, Michael C. and Michael A. UNGER. Fundamentals of ecotoxicology. 2nd ed. Boca Raton: Lewis Publishers, 2003, 458 s. ISBN 1566705983. info
  • Fundamentals of aquatic toxicology : effects, environmental fate, and risk assessment. Edited by Gary M. Rand. 2nd ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1995, xxi, 1125. ISBN 1560320915. info
  • HOFFMAN, D.J. and B.A. RATTNER. Handbook of Ecotoxicology. Boca Raton, FL, USA: CRC Press, 1994. info
  • CALOW, P. Handbook of Ecotoxicology Vol. I and II. London, U.K.: Blackwell Scientific publications, 1993. info
Teaching methods
Education is performed as lectures with Powerpoint presentations and discussions of the lecture topics. It includes homework assignments where students need to elaborate answers to assigned set of questions. Every student also prepares Power Point presentation on a selected biotests based on individual study of the guidelines and other materials.
Assessment methods
During school term every student prepares 10 min presentation for his/her colleagues. The gained knowledge is supported by two home assignments with sets or questions during the school term. The presentation and assignment are required for the credit. The final evaluation is based on written exam, where student needs to reach at least 60% of total score, followed by oral examination.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, spring 2018, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2017, recent)
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