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Ecotoxicological Research At Dit, Maria Davoren, Colm O'Dowd, Sharon Ni Shuilleabhain

Level 3

The term ecotoxicology, first defined by René Truhart in 1969, essentially describes the study of the harmful effects of chemicals upon ecosystems and understanding the pathways by which these deleterious effects are elicited (Walker et al., 1996). Thousands of new chemicals are produced each year requiring ecotoxicological evaluation, in addition to existing chemicals for which limited or no ecotoxicity data exists. Increased public concern regarding the impact of these anthropogenic chemicals on the environment, prompted DIT to expand its research portfolio to include the niche research area of aquatic ecotoxicology. DIT’s Radiation Science Centre was officially renamed …