What is Ecotoxicology

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What is Ecotoxicology?
FNR 598 E August 20, 2007
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What is Ecotoxicology?

• Basic Definition
• The branch of toxicology concerned with the
  study of toxic effects, caused by natural and
  synthetic pollutants, to the constituents of
  ecosystems (animals, plants and microbes) in an
  integrated context (Truhaut, 1977)
• Individual ? Population ? Community ? Ecosystem
• Ecoregion ? Continent ? Hemisphere ? Biosphere

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What is Ecotoxicology?

• Other Definitions
• The field of study which integrates the
  ecological and toxicological effects of chemical
  pollutants on ecosystems with the fate
  (transport, transformation and breakdown) of such
  pollutants in the environment (Forbes and
  Forbes, 1994)

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Historical Overview of Ecotoxicology
Source Adapted from Handbook of Ecotoxicology,
2nd Edition. Hoffman et al., 2002
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Ecotoxicology as a Multidisciplinary Science
LIFE SCIENCES Global Ecology Landscape
Ecology Systems Ecology Environmental
Microbiology Community Ecology Metapopulation Biol
ogy Population Biology Genetics Epidemiology Physi
ology/Anatomy Behavior Teratology Neurology Pharma
cology Endocrinology Immunology Pathology Oncology
Biochemistry/Biophysics Molecular Genetics
PHYSICAL SCIENCES Geology Oceanography Atmospheric
Chemistry Climatology Geography Hydrology Soil
Science Sedimentology Colloid Chemistry Physical
Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Organic
Chemistry Inorganic Chemistry
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Hierarchical Approach Tradeoffs
HIGH Ecological Relevance
LOW Tractability
LONG TERM Temporal Scale
POOR Ability to assign causation
SLOW Response (Decades)
REACTIVE Use of knowledge
HIGH Tractability
LOW Ecological Relevance
GOOD Ability to assign causation
SHORT TERM Temporal Scale
RAPID Response (Seconds to days)
PROACTIVE Use of knowledge
Adapted from Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology, 2nd
Edition. Newman and Unger, 2003
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Goals of Ecotoxicology

• Scientific Goal
• Organize knowledge, through testing of multiple
  working hypotheses, about fate and effects of
  contaminants in the biosphere
• Over time, this will lead to the production of
  explanatory principles or paradigms which in turn
  will define research directions

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Goals of Ecotoxicology

• Technological Goal
• Develop and apply tools and methods to acquire
  better understanding of fate and effects of
  contaminants in the biosphere
• Examples
• Analytical instrumentation
• Standard procedures for biomonitoring and use of
  biomarkers
• Statistical methods and computer technologies

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Goals of Ecotoxicology

• Practical Goal
• Application of available knowledge and
  technologies to documenting and/or solving
  specific problems
• Examples
• Development of standards or legal limits for
  contaminant levels in different media (water,
  soils, tissues)

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Goals of Ecotoxicology
Source Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology, 2nd
Edition. Newman and Unger, 2003
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Current Issues in Ecotoxicology

• Nuclear materials
• Mercury in fish
• Oil spills
• Agricultural runoff
• Industrial emissions
• Sewage effluents
• Endocrine disruptors (tributyltin, atrazine,
  detergents, pesticides)
• Acid rain
• Emerging contaminants (flame retardants,
  pharmaceuticals, antimicrobial products)

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References

• Forbes VE, TL Forbes. 1994. Ecotoxicology in
  theory and practice. Chapman and Hall, London.
• Hoffman DJ, BA Rattner, GA Burton, J Cairns.
  2002. Handbook of ecotoxicology, 2nd Edition.
  CRC Press.
• Newman MC, MA Unger. 2002. Fundamentals of
  ecotoxicology, 2nd Edition. CRC/Lewis Press,
  Boca Raton, FL.
• Truhaut R. 1977. Ecotoxicology objectives,
  principles and perspectives. Ecotox. Environ.
  Saf. 1 151-173.