Introduction

Ecotoxicology is a combination of various studies such as ecology, physiology, molecular biology, toxicology, analytical chemistry, and mathematics. It can also be considered as applied environmental science studying the biological effects of anthropogenic ingredients. Ecotoxicology is the study of the effects of toxic chemicals on biological organisms in both aquatic and terrestrial environment especially at the population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels.

According to the modern concept, the ecotoxicology is a science for migration, transformation and utilization of different toxic ingredients in the environment and their impact on Macro- biological systems with different levels of integration. Communities of living things and the environments they live in form ecosystems. Ecosystems include ponds, rivers, deserts, grasslands, and forests, and they too can be affected by pesticides.

The ultimate goal of ecotoxicology is to reveal and predict the effects of pollution within the context of all other environmental factors. Ecotoxicology differs from environmental toxicology in that it integrates the effects of stressors across all levels of biological organisation from the molecular to whole communities and ecosystems, whereas environmental toxicology includes toxicity to humans and often focuses upon effects at the organism level and below.

Ecotoxicologist

Ecotoxicologists study the immediate effect of a toxic substance on individual organisms and on species in food webs, with the ultimate aims of predicting effects on wildlife populations, ecosystems and on human food resources such as fish and shellfish. Ecotoxicologists aim to understand undesirable events in the natural environment, by carrying out ecotoxicity testing and risk assessment on new chemicals that may be used, disposed, or otherwise reach the environment.

They are often also involved in conducting detailed monitoring studies of invertebrates and fish in polluted rivers and estuaries, looking at species at many levels within a food chain. It may also be necessary to monitor the physiological and biochemical responses of organisms following exposure to a pollutant, which may reflect a toxic effect. In many cases, sub-lethal effects such as changes in behaviour, development or in reproduction may be just as important for the survival of a species as lethal effect.

Evaluation methods

The evaluation methods for ecosystems health assessment are usually based either on risk assessment or on bio assessment. The risk assessment focuses on the chemical composition, the impact of environmental toxicity and laboratory data. The data of plants and soil invertebrates can be used to study the response of the short exposure, especially when impacts were made at regular intervals. The upper layer of the soil and plants are collected for the acute toxicity testing. It is essential also to measure physiological parameters respiration, photosynthesis, pigments as well as microbial community’s indexes.

Bio assessment is applied for the complex effects of mixed toxicants or for low non-specific toxicity similar to chronic effects. The assessment focuses on ecosystem characteristics, factors causing stress and their importance and usage of measurements and models for chronic effects assessment. Bio assessment includes micro and macro-research to perform controlled tests for ecosystem under impacts. It is necessary to know the characteristics of studied ecosystems and principles of their self-management and self-control.

The Journal of “Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research” is using Editorial Tracking System to maintain quality and transparency to the author in the peer-review process. Review processing will be performed by the editorial board members of the Journal of “Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research” or by Reviewers (outside experts in the field). Two independent reviewer’s approval (Minimum reviewer’s approval) followed by editor approval is obligatory for acceptance of any manuscript excluding an editorial.

Regards

Mary Wilson

Editorial office

Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research

E-mail: pharmatoxicol@eclinicalsci.com