Environmental toxicology 1400-227TS

The course covers issues related to the occurrence, transformations, and impact of toxic substances in environmental matrices. It presents key groups of chemical contaminants—originating from natural and anthropogenic sources—and explores mechanisms of toxicity in biological systems. Students become familiar with methods of environmental monitoring (soils, waters, atmosphere) as well as analytical and bioanalytical tools used to detect pollutants and evaluate their ecological and health effects. A significant part of the course involves toxicity bioassays, environmental data interpretation, and laboratory activities, developing practical skills in environmental risk assessment. The course integrates concepts from biology, chemistry, environmental sciences, and ecotoxicology.
LECTURES – THEMATIC BLOCKS
1. Chemical pollutants in the environment: sources, properties and transformations. Overview of major groups of toxic substances occurring in natural and human-impacted environments. Discussion of physicochemical properties, environmental reactivity, transformation pathways, potential for bioaccumulation, and exposure routes for living organisms, including humans. Introduction to methods of identification and monitoring of toxic compounds.
2. Pesticides, dioxins and PAHs in ecosystems: persistence, transport and mechanisms of toxicity: Toxicology of pesticides (especially organochlorine pesticides), dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sources of emission, environmental distribution, mechanisms of action, effects on food webs, and implications for public health. Processes of degradation, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and long-term exposure effects.
3. Toxicology of natural biological toxins: mycotoxins and neuroactive substances. Mycotoxins: production mechanisms, environmental drivers, and toxic effects. Discussion of neuroactive substances with environmental relevance, including nicotine—its neurophysiological effects, addictive mechanisms, and detoxification processes.
4. Heavy metals and radionuclides: environmental cycles, toxicity and health risks. Focus on mercury and radioactive contaminants. Chemical forms, biogeochemical cycles, neurotoxicity of mercury, and methods for exposure assessment. Sources of radionuclides, environmental behavior, and techniques for decontamination of polluted soils and waters.
5. Environmental monitoring and quality assessment: water, air and bioassays:
Principles of monitoring surface waters and air quality. Interpretation of physicochemical indicators. Formation and effects of smog and particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10). Toxicity bioassays as tools for assessing environmental hazards: applications, sensitivity and limitations.
CLASSES – THEMATIC BLOCKS
1. Chemical and physicochemical analysis of environmental components.
Practical laboratory methods for soil analysis, including measurements of salinity, pH and heavy metal content. Introduction to analytical approaches used in assessing quality of environment.
2. Diagnosis and interpretation of air pollution.
Analysis of air quality, emission sources, and smog composition. Methods of monitoring and stakeholder analysis related to air quality management.
3. Assessment and monitoring of surface water quality.
Laboratory and analytical activities involving physicochemical parameters of surface waters. Interpretation of quality indicators and assessment of water suitability for consumption.
4. Toxicology of selected environmental contaminants: mycotoxins, mercury, pesticides.
Case-based exercises focused on environmental data for mycotoxins, mercury compounds, and organochlorine pesticides. System-based tools and scenario modelling of contamination processes.
5. Analysis of toxic substances in biological material: nicotine.
Extraction of organic compounds from plant material. Quantification of nicotine using spectrometric techniques, including a full sample preparation workflow.
6. Radiological contamination – case studies.
Analysis of real environmental radiological contamination data. Interpretation of measurement results and discussion of environmental and public health implications.
7. Toxicity bioassays: design, execution and analysis.
Practical performance of acute and chronic toxicity tests using model organisms (crustaceans). Data collection, interpretation of biological response, and preparation of laboratory reports.
8. Chemometrics and data analysis in toxicology.
Introduction to statistical and chemometric tools used in environmental toxicology. Interpretation of toxicity test results and environmental datasets.