Objective Development of a series of ecologically relevant toxicity tests to assess under realistic exposure scenarios the full breadth of responses of aquatic organisms to chemical contaminants.METIER will build upon the results obtained within a preceding project in the STEP Programme (Contract EV5V-CT91-0009) which involved the development of a standard flow-through exposure system and a series of toxicity tests linked to a mechanistic physiological model of contaminant effects in the aquatic environment, to support the development of regulatory guidelines for poorly water-soluble compounds (pre-normative research) in relation to EC Directives 76/548/EEC and 88/379/EEC.Specifically METIER will- further develop the Daphnia magna model, including transfer options to other species (e.g. Carassius auratus, Chironomus riparius);- investigate an artificial sediment matrix to allow manipulations of the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble compounds, and the development of a standardised sediment toxicity test using Chironomus riparius;- examine the role of the binding of contaminants in the water column on particulate matter for the effective exposure estimates;- continue developing the flow-through system for the testing of "difficult" substances;- validate the test system using two EC Priority List I chemicals (3,4-dichloroaniline and parathion);- develop rapid-test endpoints (e.g. feeding inhibition) which can be mechanistically linked to long-term life-cycle endpoints (e.g. inhibition of reproduction) using model simulations, with potential application in effluent "end-of-pipe" testing. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologylimnology Programme(s) FP3-ENV 1C - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of the environment, 1990-1994 Topic(s) 040204 - Risks to health and the environment from chemical substances Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Universidade de Coimbra Address Largo marquês de pombal 3049 Coimbra Portugal See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Technische Universität Berlin Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Goerzallee 253 14167 Berlin See on map UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Western bank S10 2TN Sheffield See on map University of Stirling United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address University of stirling FK9 4LA Stirling See on map
