Chapter 27
Ecotoxicology of Environmental Pollutants
Luděk Bláha and Jakub Hofman
Abstract The most discussed hazardous properties of chemicals with respect to
environmental impacts include persistency, tendency to bioaccumulate in biota,
human toxicity, and ecotoxicity to living biota. In this chapter, aimed primarily at
students and non-professionals in ecotoxicology such as environmental engineers or
remediation experts, brief introduction to ecotoxicology is provided. The chapter
brings introductory insights into the concepts of ecotoxicology and effects of
chemicals in biological systems including the discussion of concentration–response
relationships. Further, we introduce methods and tools in the testing of ecotoxicity,
i.e., bioassays, and discuss their applications in both prospective and retrospective
hazard assessment. Finally, the chapter provides a simple overview of major contaminants and their documented ecotoxic impacts on living organisms in both
aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Keywords Ecotoxicology · Environmental toxicology · Ecotoxicity testing ·
Bioassays · Chemical effects
27.1 Introduction
Environmental pollutants pose diverse hazards (i.e., inherited properties), which
may under specific conditions represent threats to the environment or human health.
The most broadly discussed hazardous properties of chemicals with respect to
environmental impacts include persistency, tendency to bioaccumulate in biota,
and (eco)toxicity. The assessment criteria and methods for measuring persistency
and bioaccumulative properties of chemicals are relatively well defined within
regulatory frameworks (Mackay et al. 2014), and global treaties such as Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (Stockholm Convention 2008).
On the other hand, understanding adverse effects of chemicals on humans and
L. Bláha (*) · J. Hofman
RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
e-mail: blaha@recetox.muni.cz
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_27
549
Ecotoxicology of Environmental Pollutants
Luděk Bláha and Jakub Hofman
Abstract The most discussed hazardous properties of chemicals with respect to
environmental impacts include persistency, tendency to bioaccumulate in biota,
human toxicity, and ecotoxicity to living biota. In this chapter, aimed primarily at
students and non-professionals in ecotoxicology such as environmental engineers or
remediation experts, brief introduction to ecotoxicology is provided. The chapter
brings introductory insights into the concepts of ecotoxicology and effects of
chemicals in biological systems including the discussion of concentration–response
relationships. Further, we introduce methods and tools in the testing of ecotoxicity,
i.e., bioassays, and discuss their applications in both prospective and retrospective
hazard assessment. Finally, the chapter provides a simple overview of major contaminants and their documented ecotoxic impacts on living organisms in both
aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Keywords Ecotoxicology · Environmental toxicology · Ecotoxicity testing ·
Bioassays · Chemical effects
27.1 Introduction
Environmental pollutants pose diverse hazards (i.e., inherited properties), which
may under specific conditions represent threats to the environment or human health.
The most broadly discussed hazardous properties of chemicals with respect to
environmental impacts include persistency, tendency to bioaccumulate in biota,
and (eco)toxicity. The assessment criteria and methods for measuring persistency
and bioaccumulative properties of chemicals are relatively well defined within
regulatory frameworks (Mackay et al. 2014), and global treaties such as Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (Stockholm Convention 2008).
On the other hand, understanding adverse effects of chemicals on humans and
L. Bláha (*) · J. Hofman
RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
e-mail: blaha@recetox.muni.cz
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_27
549