After taking the modules in this elearning course, you will be able to:

Describe what is meant by the term ecotoxicology and how it differs to toxicology.
Describe what is meant by the term ???environment??? and environmental effect.
Be able to define the terms individual, population, community, ecosystem, habitat and species.
Explain why it is important to study ecotoxicology.

Explain what is meant by environmental risk assessment and why it is important to undertake such an assessment.
Define the terms risk, hazard and exposure.
Explain what is meant by the terms hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation.
Describe the kinds of uncertainty which may be encountered when undertaking an environmental risk assessment.

Outline what is meant by the substance lifecycle (production, formulation, use and disposal) and why it is important to understand this concept.
Explain what is meant by the term environmental compartments.
Explain how substances are released into the environment (point and diffuse. sources), local and regional environment and spatial and temporal scales.

Explain what is meant by the term aquatic ecotoxicology and the importance of the aquatic compartment and why this is used for classification and labelling.
Explain the key indicators used in assessment and the rationale behind this.
Define the terms acute and chronic effects, LC50, EC50, NOEC, LOEC.
Define the term trophic levels, its significance and the test species that are commonly used.

Explain the differences between short term and long term testing.
Explain why vertebrates, invertebrates and green plants are used in the assessment.
Explain why different exposure systems may be required, what these are and when they are used (static, semi static, flow through).
Explain the difference between nominal concentration and measured concentration.
Explain the approach taken to testing in the absence of any usable data for fish.

Explain what is meant by terrestrial toxicology.
Explain the importance of soil in relation to the terrestrial ecosystem and how it can become contaminated.
Explain the importance of assessing potential terrestrial vertebrate and invertebrate toxicity and how they may become exposed to chemicals within this ecosystem.

Biotic degradation

Explain why it is important to assess the potential for a substance to degrade within the environment.
Outline the types of test and criteria (ready biodegradable, inherent biodegradation).
Explain what is meant in CLP/GHS by rapid degradability and the criteria for assessment.
Explain the significance of BOD/COD and theoretical oxygen demand and how these can be used to assess the potential for degradation.
Explain the function of the wastewater treatment plant/sewage treatment plant and how and when this would be assessed.

Abiotic degradation

Explain what is meant by the terms hydrolysis, oxidation, reduction and photochemical degradation.
Outline the methods to measure these effects.

Explain the relationship between degradability and bioaccumulation.
Explain what is meant by the terms bioconcentration, bioaccumulation, biomagnification and bioconcentration factor.
Outline the significance of these terms to the ecosystems.
Explain the significance of indirect exposure to humans ??? man via the environment.
Describe the ways in which the potential for bioaccumulation can be assessed (fish and Log KOw).

Be able to explain what is meant by the terms refinement, reduction and replacement.
Outline which of the three trophic levels falls under the realms of Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
Describe the vertebrate testing approach taken by REACH.
Explain what is meant by a tiered testing approach with one example.
Outline the use of the fish embryo test and two of its current limitations.
Explain what is meant by the threshold approach.
Outline the current status with regards to use of Qsar models.

Be able to define the term PNEC.
Explain how the PNEC is used.
Describe the types of PNEC which could be derived.
Outline the approach for deriving a PNEC.
Explain why assessment factors need to be used and what they do.
Explain the approach taken in the assessment of a PNEC (marine) in the absence of marine data.
Describe an alternative approach which can be used for the derivation of the PNEC (soil and sediment) in the absence of data.
Outline when a PNEC (oral) might need to be considered.

Explain why it is important to undertake an environmental exposure assessment.
Explain why a knowledge of the lifecycle stages is important.
Define the term release rate and the difference between local and regional emissions.
Explain the difference between Environmental Release Categories and Specific Environmental Release Categories.
Explain what is meant by the term environmental fate and the processes involved.
Define what is meant by predicted effect concentration (PEC).
Explain what is meant by secondary poisoning and man exposed via the environment.
Outline the differences between measured and modelling approach for exposure estimates.
Outline how the results of exposure assessment are used in risk characterisation.

The Practical Guide to Ecotoxicology and the Environment

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