75821 - Ecotoxicology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student acquires knowledge on main contaminats in aquatic environment, on their dynamics and kinetics and on the effects onthe various systems, with particular respect to the immune and the endocrine system. The student is able to recognize the principal poisonings and to apply identification and analytical methods for the confirmation of diagnostic hypothesis. He will also be able to perform an analysis of the toxicological risk deriving from most common environmental pollutants.

Course contents

• Introduction to ecotoxicology: definitions, principles, general problems.
• Principles of toxicokinetics.
• Environmental distribution of contaminants.
• Biomarkers and bioindicators: definitions and description of the principal biomarkers.
• Main species used as biondicators.
• Concept of IBE.
• Principal classes of contaminants of ecotoxicological interest: pesticides, halogenated compounds, PAH, trace elements, plastics, nanoparticles, drugs, mixtures.
• Immunotoxicity.
• Endocrine disruption.
• Genotoxicity.
• Risk assessment.
• Impact of aquaculture on the ecosystems.
• Case studies. Case studies are presented as group work and with a group report and a class presentation.

Self-evaluation test are periodically given, on the topics explained at the moment, conditioning the access to the study material.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory:

Classes notes, downloadable from Moodle.

Blasco J., Chapman P.M., Campana O., Hampel M. Marine Ecotoxicology. Current Knowledge and future issues.Academic Press 2016

Suggested but not mandatory:

Sparling D. W. Ecotoxicology essential. Academic Press, 2016

Amiard-Triquet C. Amiard J.C., Mouneyrac C. Aquatic Ecotoxicology. Academic Press, 2015

 

The access to the didactic material is progressive (follows the sequence of classes given) and conditioned to self-evaluation test performance.

Teaching methods

Front lessons and seminars.

Last hours of lesson (8 hours) will be used for group working for the preparation of the group report and presentation, which is considered as practical activity.

Although not mandatory, course attendance is strongly recommended as during classes information presented synthetically in the lesson slides are clarified in detail , as well as aspects present in the additional material provided by the teacher and in the chapters of the book indicated as mandatory to study are presented in detailed and explained. The frequency can then certainly facilitate the preparation of the examination.

Assessment methods

Short group report and presentation on a topic of the course. Although not mandatory (given that attendance to the course is not mandatory) the mark obtained with the group work will be part of the final mark. The Professor will also consider the student effective participation to the work group and to the class discussion following each presentation.

Written exam with at least 30 multiple choice and/or open questions on the program, to be done on Moodle platform. Oral exam as eventual integraton of the note obtained. The exam is passed if at least 18 correct answers are given at the written exam (any answers not given is considered as a wrong answer).

Final note derives from the mean of the marks (presentation, writtien exam, oral exam, if any).

For the exam the student should refer to what tought during front lessons, to the text indicated as mandatory and to all integrative material provided by the Professor on Moodle platform.

 

The final mark of the integrated course will be defined by the weighted average of the marks obtained from each module composing the Course.

Teaching tools

Slides of the lessons.

Additional material given by the teacher (for case studies and practicals).

During classes the Professor will using interactive tool like Polleverywhere and Kahoot.

Office hours

See the website of Annalisa Zaccaroni