Course content

Human activity, including the use of technology, causes pollution that contributes to the triple planetary crisis and hinders sustainable development. The course hence focuses on pollution to air, water and soil, the global spread of pollution and subsequent exposure and ecotoxic effects of pollutants in plants, animals, including humans, and ecosystems. Furthermore, the processes of risk assessment and restriction of emerging pollutants as well as the impacts of products throughout their life cycle, such as plastic (from production to end of life) are discussed.

The following topics are included: General introduction to ecotoxicology and environmental toxicology, organic pollutants, emerging pollutants, metals in the environments, fate of pollutants in ecosystems, sources and global transport, biological and biochemical effects of pollutants, toxicokinetics, biomarkers and biomonitoring, endocrine disruption, effects on individuals and populations, changes in communities and ecosystems, factors affecting toxicity, mixtures and climate change, plastic pollution, noise pollution, light pollution, adverse outcome pathways and ecological risk assessment.

Learning outcome

The course gives an introduction to ecotoxicology, i.e., knowledge of exposure and effects of environmental pollutants on natural biological systems (molecules, cells, organisms, species, populations and ecosystems):

Skills:

• Ability to apply acquired knowledge to understand how pollutants are spread in the nature, and how they affect biological systems in nature.
• Ability to apply acquired knowledge to reduce or hinder harmful effects of pollutants on biological systems and bioresources.

General competence:

• Basic knowledge on how different groups of contaminants are spread in the nature, taken up and excreted by the organisms, and the toxic and ecotoxic effects on pollutants on biological systems and bioresources.
• Basic knowledge on ecological risk assessment.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and seminars (obligatory attendance of 3 seminars)

Compulsory assignments

• Mandatory participation in 3 seminars

Recommended previous knowledge

BI2025 Animal Ecophysiology and Ecotoxicology, TIØ4300 Environmental Science, Ecosystems and Sustainability, BI2012 Cell Biology or similar qualifications in biology and environmental science. KJ1000 - General chemistry or similar courses giving an introduction into chemistry and organic chemistry.

Course materials

Landis, Sofield, Yu: "Introduction to Environmental Toxicology: Molecular Substructures to Ecological Landscapes", CRC press

Lectures and other material provided during the lectures.

Credit reductions