course-details-portlet

TBI4110

Ecotoxicology

Choose study year
Credits 7.5
Level Intermediate course, level II
Course start Spring 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English and norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement School exam

About

About the course

Course content

The course focuses on pollution of air, water and soil, and gives an introduction on the toxic and ecotoxic effects of pollutants on animals, humans and ecosystems. The following topics are included: General introduction to ecotoxicology and environmental toxicology, Metals in the environments, Organic pollutants, sources and global transport, Fate of organic pollutants in ecosystems, Emerging pollutants, Biological and biochemical effects of pollutants, Biomarkers and biomonitoring, Endocrine disrupting chemicals, Toxicokinetics, Effects on individuals and populations, Changes in communities and ecosystems, Factors affecting toxicity, mixtures and climate change, Plastic pollution, Oil pollution, Noise Pollution 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 2 seminars)

Compulsory assignments

  • Mandatory participation in 2 seminars

Further on evaluation

Written exam on campus

Obligatory activity needs to be approved in order to go for the exam.

A resit examination can be changed from a written to an oral examination.

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

Course code Reduction From
SIK7020 7.5 sp
BI2072 7.5 sp Autumn 2011
BI2071 7.5 sp Autumn 2011
This course has academic overlap with the courses in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Biology
  • Geology
  • Natural Sciences
  • Technological subjects

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Biology