TOPICS



1. Introduction to aquatic toxicology: short history, aquatic environment, and basic toxicological concepts and principles.

2. Major classes of toxic chemicals.

3. Toxic agents and their effects.

4. Sources and routes by which pollutants enter the aquatic ecosystems: environmental fate, and transformation processes.

5. Methods for the identification, quantification and speciation of pollutants.

6. Exposure pathways for aquatic organisms: bioaccumulation and bioavailability.

7. Exposure pathways for aquatic organisms: biochemical mechanisms: metabolism, adaptation, toxicity.

8. Toxicity testing (chronic, acute, in vivo, in vitro and standardized tests) and interpretation of toxicity data.

9. Biomonitoring and biomarkers: behavioral, physiological, biochemical and molecular responses to toxicants.

10. Biomonitoring and biomarkers: in situ biomonitoring systems for water quality assessment.

11. Case studies in toxicology.