Course on Aquatic ecotoxicology
Developed by
Senior Lecturer, PhD (candidate of geographical sciences)
Ovsepyan Asya
Department of physical geography, ecology and nature protection
Faculty of Geology and Geography, Southern Federal University
ovsepleat@yandex.ru, fizgeo@sfedu.ru
Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Aim of the course
General description
Aquatic ecotoxicology is defined as a scientific discipline, studying the properties
and behavior of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, as well as the impact of pollutants on
organisms, populations, and communities.
The history of evolution and development of this discipline is considered, and its
theoretical foundations are formulated. The role of aquatic ecotoxicology in solving
practical problems related to the substantiation of the criteria for water quality assessment
and standardization of human-induced water contamination is demonstrated.
Objectives
Aquatic Ecotoxicology evaluation revolves around studies on various non-target
organisms of aquatic environment. Ecotoxicological (Aquatic) studies are required to
determine the hazard classification of agrochemicals, biocides speciality chemicals and
pharmaceuticals to evaluate their potential for short/long-term risks to non-target
organisms.
The course “Aquatic ecotoxicology” is an optional special academic discipline
intended to give students a richer understanding of the impact of chemical substances and
pollutants on aquatic organisms, the necessity of interpretation of environmental research
in the sphere of studying the consequences of water bodies’ toxic contamination.
The Department of physical geography, ecology and environment protection of
Southern Federal University has a unique experience of long-term observations of fates
and effects of water pollution by heavy metals, radionuclides, nutrients, as well as their
behavior in the aquatic environment. The results of field studies enrich the material of
lectures and practical courses.
Structure. The structure of the academic discipline includes 2 modules:
• Properties of priority ecotoxicants of aquatic environment, their sources in water bodies;
• The nature and effects of toxicants on aquatic habitats of organisms, ways and methods to
reduce the negative impact.
Teaching






The following methods and forms of study are used in the course:
Lectures
Seminars
Colloquium
Writing
Self-study
Use of different reference books and Internet resources
At the end of the course the students are supposed to write an essay, make an oral
presentation and participate in discussion. Upon the successful completion, the students
will gain credits.
Course content
Training and thematic plan
of the course on Aquatic ecotoxicology
Total volume - 3 ECTS Credits
Name of themes and topics
Моdule 1: Properties of priority ecotoxicants
of aquatic environment, their sources in
water bodies
Theme 1: Introduction. Course organization,
its aims and structure. Information on core
and additional readings.
Theme 2: Formation of the science discipline.
Subject of ecotoxicology and its links with
other sciences
Theme 3: Methodology and fundamental
research principles
Theme 4: Impacts of land contaminants on
aquatic ecosystems
Theme 5: Metal speciation in aquatic
ecotoxicology
Theme 6: Sediment toxicity identification
evaluation
Classroom (hour)
The
Selfamount
study
of hours Lectures Practice
54
16
11
27
7
2
1
4
8
2
2
4
8
2
2
4
11
4
2
5
11
4
2
5
9
2
2
5
Моdule 2: The nature and effects of toxicants 54
on aquatic habitats of organisms, ways and
methods to reduce the negative impact
Theme 7: Cell lines in aquatic toxicology
5
16
11
27
2
1
2
Theme 8: Aquatic biomarkers
8
2
2
4
Theme
9:
Aquatic
mesocosms
in 8
ecotoxicology
Theme 10: Aquatic macrophytes in 8
ecotoxicology
Theme 11: Microbial bioremediation of
7
aquatic environments
Theme 12: Bioavailability of contaminant
7
2
2
4
2
2
4
2
1
4
2
1
4
Theme 13: Water quality guidelines for the 5
protection of aquatic ecosystems
Theme 14: Assessing ecological risks at 6
contaminated sites
Totally
108
2
1
2
2
1
3
32
22
54
Monitoring system
The final assessment of the course is determined by the results of monitoring on the
basis of a rating system based on the outcome of the oral response classification, presented
individually made reports on laboratory work, written essay, as well as active participation
in lecture classes.
Grading students on the rating system is determined in accordance with Table 1
Table 1
Excellent
90-100 points
good
80-89 points
satisfactory
65-79 points
unsatisfactory
less than 65 points
Determination of credit is made according to table 2
Table 2
1. Active participation in lectures and seminars (quality recording Up to 20
of lectures and practical training material)
2. The results of case studies in laboratory studies.
Up to 25
3. Essay
Up to 35
4. Oral presentation
Up to 20
Requirements
During the session students are required to attend class lectures;
participate in seminars;
write an essay;
represent the main ideas of essay in oral presentation at the colloquium;
be prepared to participate in final course discussion.
An essay is a prose analysis on one of the prescribed topics given below. For essay
students should consult items from the booklist given with the essay title you choose.
Students may use other items as well, but ensure that they are books or articles of
relevance and equivalent scholarly standard to those on these lists. All recommended
readings listed here are indicative rather than exhaustive. Students shouldn’t be afraid to
add to the list from own literature searches.
An essay will be assessed to the following criteria: range and quality of readings,
evidence of investigative effort, relevance to essay question, awareness of relevant
historians’ interpretations, use of primary evidence, analytical abilities and overall
arguments. Recommended essay volume is approximately 2,5-3,000 words.
Essay titles
Select ONE topic
1. Environmental river biofilms as biological indicators of the impact of chemical
contaminants
2. Ecotoxicity of explosives
3. Genotoxicity of contaminants: amphibian micronucleus assays
4. Genotoxicity of contaminants: Comet assay
5. Green chemistry and ecotoxicology
6. Landfill leachate ecotoxicity
7. Diatoms in ecotoxicology
8. Ecotoxicology: historical overview and perspectives
9. Optical sensors for detection of cyanobacteria
10.Oceans and human health
11.Trophic transfer of trace elements
12.Toxicity of urban stormwater
13.Photo-toxicity in ice
14.Microbiotests in ecotoxicology
15.Eutrophication
16.Biodegradability in ecotoxicology
17.Beluga whales and ecotoxicity
18.Benthic community ecotoxicology
19.Acid rain ecotoxicity
20.Migration and Retardation of Chemical Toxic Radioactive Waste
Reading
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Alimov, A.F., Productivity of Macrozoobenthos Communities in Continental
Water Bodies of the USSR, Gidrobiol. Zh. , 1982, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 7–10.
Alimov, A.F., Elementy teorii funktsionirovaniya vodnykh ekosistem
(Principles of the Theory of Aquatic System Functioning), St. Petersburg: Nauka,
2000.
Bigon, M., Kharper, Dzh., and Taunsend, K., Ekologiya. Osobi, populyatsii i
soobshchestva (Ecology: Individuals, Populations, and Communities), Moscow:
Mir, 1989.
Braginskii, L.P., Some Classification Principles of Freshwater Ecosystem by
Toxic Pollution Levels, Gidrobiol. Zh. , 1985, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 57–67.
Vinberg, G.G., Comparative–Biolimnological Studies, Their Potentialities
and Limitations, in Produktsionnolimnologicheskie issledovaniya vnutrennikh
vodoemov (Production–Limnological Studies of Inland Water Bodies), Leningrad:
GosNIIORKh, 1986, p. 4–30.
Grant, V., The Evolutionary Process , New York: Columbia Univ. Press,
1985.
Kamshilov, M.M., Norm and Pathology in Aquatic Ecosystem Functionin,
in Teoreticheskie problemy vodnoi toksikologii (Theoretical Problems of Aquatic
Toxicology), Moscow: Nauka, 1983, p. 22–25.
Lesnikov, L.A., System of Studies for the Development of Fishery-Related
Water Quality Standards Taking Into Account the Peculiarities of Experimental
Data Transfer to Natural Water Bodies, in Vliyanie zagryaznyayushchikh
veshchestv na gidrobiontov i ekosistemy vodoemov (Effect of Pollutants on
Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems of Water Bodies), Leningrad: GosNIIORKh,
1979, pp. 301–309.
Luk’yanenko, V.I., Ikhtiotoksikologiya (Ichthyotoxicology), Moscow:
Agroprom, 1983.
Metelev, V.V., Kanaev, A.I., and Dzasokhova, N.G., Vodnaya toksikologiya
(Aquatic Toxicology), Moscow: Pishchevaya prom., 1971.
Mikryakov, V.R., Reaktsiya immunnoi sistemy na zagryaznenie vody
toksikantami i zakislenie sredy (Response of Immune System to Water Pollution
by Toxicants and the Acidification of the Environment), Moscow: Nauka, 2001.
Moiseenko, T.I., Anthropogenic Variability of Freshwater Ecosystems and
Criteria for Water Quality Assessment, in Problemy ekologicheskogo monitoringa
i modelirovaniya ekosistem (Problems of Ecological Monitoring and Ecosystem
Modeling), St. Petersburg: Gidrometeoizdat, 2003, vol. 19, pp. 72–94.
Moiseenko, T.I., Concept of Ecosystem “Health” in the Water Quality
Assessment, Ekologiya , 2008, no. 5, pp. 4–18.
Moiseenko, T.I., Ecotoxicological Approach to Water Quality Assessment,
Vodn. Resur. , 2005, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 163–174 [Water Resour. (Engl. Transl.),
vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 163–174].
Moiseenko, T.I., Gashkina, N.A., Sharova, Yu.N., and Pokoeva, A.G.,
Ecotoxicological Assessment of After-Effects of the Volga River Water
Contamination, Vodn. Resur. , 2005, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 410–424 [Water Resour.
(Engl. Transl.), vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 369–383].
Moiseenko, T.I., Lukin, A.A., Kudryavtseva, L.P., et al., Antropogennye
modifikatsii ekosistemy ozera Imandra (Anthropogenic Modifications of Imandra
Lake Ecosystem), Moscow: Nauka, 2002.
Nemova, N.N. and Vysotskaya, R.U., Biokhimicheskaya indikatsiya
sostoyaniya ryb (Biochemical Indication of Fish State), Moscow: Nauka, 2004.
Nikol’skii, G.V., Teoriya dinamiki stada ryb (Theory of the Dynamics of
Fish Shoals), Moscow: Pishchevaya prom-st', 1974.
Odum, Yu.P., Fundamentals of Ecology , Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders,
1971.
Stroganov, N.S., Biological Aspect of the Problem of Norm and Pathology
in Aquatic Toxicology, in Teoreticheskie problemy vodnoi toksikologii
(Theoretical Problems of Aquatic Toxicology), Moscow: Nauka, 1983, pp. 5–21.
Stroganov, N.S., Problems of Aquatic Toxicology in the Context of
Ecological Physiology, Gidrobiol. Zh. , 1967, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 34–41.
Sushchenya, L.M., Alimov, A.F., and Monakov, A.V., Urgent Problems of
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Filenko, O.F., On the Life and Work of N.S. Stroganov, in Antropogennye
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Shatunovskii, M.I., Ekologicheskie zakonomernosti obmena veshchestv
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