Ludek Blaha

TL;DR: The obtained results show the presence of 125 substances (80% of the target compounds) in European wastewater effluents, in concentrations ranging from low nanograms to milligrams per liter, which allow for an estimation to be made of a European median level for the chemicals investigated in WWTP effluent waters.

TL;DR: The chemicals which were detected most frequently above the European ground water quality standard for pesticides of 0.1 microg/L were Chloridazon-desphenyl (26 samples), NPE(1)C (20), Bisphenol A (12), Benzotriazole (8), N,N'-Dimethylsulfamid (DMS) (8) and Nonylphenol (6).

TL;DR: An overview on current regulations of chemicals and the requirements for animal tests in environmental hazard and risk assessment is provided and the potential areas for alternative approaches to animal tests using vertebrates in environmental toxicology are highlighted.

TL;DR: The investigation seems to indicate generally lower risks of acute effects at concentrations expected in the environment, however, some effective concentrations were relatively low and chronic toxicity of cytostatics (and/or their transformation products), as well as specific sources of human pharmaceuticals such as hospital effluents, require research attention.

TL;DR: The present study provides some of the first ecotoxicity data for both cytostatics and their metabolites, which might further serve for serious evaluation of ecological risks and indicates further research needs, especially studies of chronic toxicity.