Project Details:

Terms and Definitions Used in Connection with Ecotoxicological Investigations of Aquatic Systems. (revised title)

This guide will recommend the terms as well as the meaning that should be assigned to them, when used in connection to chemical, biochemical and biological tests for the determination of toxicity in aquatic systems. This will make it possible for experts of various disciplines to communicate more clearly with one another to ensure an objectively correct interpretation and optimum exchange of data.

Bilogical and biochemical techniques use representative (whole or parts of) organism to ascertain toxic effects on (water) samples using their reactions. They measure ecological effects and this makes possible by having an overview. Biological and biochemical techniques make use of either the principle of biological changes in and of organisms in vitro, in vivo or in situ or in bioindication. Techniques such as these may be subdivided into methods that are determined organismically and suborganismically/biochemically. The essential terms will be linked to chemical, biochemical or biological techniques for estimating the hazard potential of aquatic systems are shown in this overview. The final report will brefly describe classical analytical methods (sum parameters, group parameters, and individual substance analysis) as well as biochemical techniques, biological methods like bioassays, bioindication and bioeffect related analysis. This overview will be included a basis for definition of a biosensor, its biochemical factors and different measurement principles.

The proposal was discussed and accepted at the meeting in Geneva in August 1997. The first draft will be prepared before March 1998, sent to the Commission Secretary to sent to Commission Members for comments to be discussed at the meeting in August/September 1998.

The project was discussed in Berlin and is in progress.