Department Environmental Chemistry

On the trail of pollutants

Our research team studies the presence, distribution and fate of organic pollutants in the aquatic environment. The focus of our research is on substance flux from urban areas and from agriculture, and the main tools that we use for this work are trace analysis, field and laboratory studies and modelling.
 

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News

July 9, 2024 –

The VSA Water Quality Platform and Eawag have analysed the effects to date of the measures taken under the "Action Plan for Risk Reduction and Sustainable Use of Pesticides" on water quality. The number of limit value exceedances...

The VSA Water Quality Platform and Eawag have analysed the effects to date of the measures taken under the "Action Plan for Risk Reduction and Sustainable Use of Pesticides" on water quality. The number of limit value exceedances has decreased significantly since 2019. Nevertheless, many kilometres of rivers and streams are still contaminated. Pyrethroids pose a particularly high risk to watercourses.

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May 6, 2024 –

A survey of 99 small Swiss streams reveals that the majority of the studied streams have significant deficits in their ecological condition and can only fulfil their function as a habitat for animals to a limited extent. Insect...

A survey of 99 small Swiss streams reveals that the majority of the studied streams have significant deficits in their ecological condition and can only fulfil their function as a habitat for animals to a limited extent. Insect larvae and other small animals that react sensitively to pesticides are missing in over 70% of the streams examined. Statistical analyses indicate that these aquatic organisms are particularly impacted when the structure and morphology of the stream bed has been altered or if the proportion of agricultural land in the catchment area is high.

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April 3, 2024 –

Eawag and the Ecotox Centre welcome a total revision of the Plant Protection Products Ordinance (PPPO). However, the two institutes are calling for improvements on important points, such as the adoption of EU authorisations or the...

Eawag and the Ecotox Centre welcome a total revision of the Plant Protection Products Ordinance (PPPO). However, the two institutes are calling for improvements on important points, such as the adoption of EU authorisations or the precautionary principle. The ordinance must ensure that other regulations such as the Water Protection or the Environmental Protection Act are not undermined.

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March 5, 2024 –

The development of Swiss wastewater treatment is ongoing. Eawag studies now show that there is also potential for improvement in the case of emissions from chemical and pharmaceutical plants – both at wastewater treatment plants...

The development of Swiss wastewater treatment is ongoing. Eawag studies now show that there is also potential for improvement in the case of emissions from chemical and pharmaceutical plants – both at wastewater treatment plants and within industrial facilities.

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Information for potential candidates SNF Ambizione / Starting grant Fellowship

The Environmental Chemistry Department is fortunate to have externally funded fellows contributing to our research and teaching environment. If you consider applying for an externally funded fellowship in our Department, please check your eligibility under www.snf.ch/en/funding/careers/Pages/default.aspx and contact a group leader whose research interests are close to yours. To ensure that incoming fellows fit our research environment and can be accommodated appropriately, and to do the necessary paperwork, sufficient time is required. If you want to apply for Ambizione/SNSF starting grant with Uchem as a host, please contact the Group Leader of your choice at least 3 months in advance of the submission deadline. Selected candidates will be invited to give a talk at our Department and discuss their research plans with us. Your formal expression of interest should come as a single PDF file including a complete CV, a motivation letter detailing why our Department is the right place for your research, an outline of the planned project (max. 2 pages), and the names and contact details of two references.

Latest publications

Rougé, V.; von Gunten, U.; Janssen, E. M. L. (2024) Reactivity of cyanobacteria metabolites with ozone: multicompound competition kinetics, Environmental Science and Technology, 58(26), 11802-11811, doi:10.1021/acs.est.4c02242, Institutional Repository
Torres, M. de A.; Dax, A.; Grand, I.; vom Berg, C.; Pinto, E.; Janssen, E. M..L. (2024) Lethal and behavioral effects of semi-purified microcystins, Micropeptin and apolar compounds from cyanobacteria on freshwater microcrustacean Thamnocephalus platyurus, Aquatic Toxicology, 273, 106983 (9 pp.), doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106983, Institutional Repository
Meyer, C.; Stravs, M. A.; Hollender, J. (2024) How wastewater reflects human metabolism─Suspect screening of pharmaceutical metabolites in wastewater influent, Environmental Science and Technology, 58(22), 9828-9839, doi:10.1021/acs.est.4c00968, Institutional Repository
Yu, Y.; Trottmann, N. F.; Schärer, M. R.; Fenner, K.; Robinson, S. L. (2024) Substrate promiscuity of xenobiotic-transforming hydrolases from stream biofilms impacted by treated wastewater, Water Research, 256, 121593 (9 pp.), doi:10.1016/j.watres.2024.121593, Institutional Repository