Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology

Unsurprisingly, two news items about the coronavirus made it into the top 5 – on the one hand, the coronavirus from high-touch surfaces, on the other hand the coronavirus wastewater monitoring. But also the 1200 newly discovered Swiss glacial lakes, the fish inventory in 35 lakes in the Alpine region and the new Eawag test with fish cells attracted interest.

The risk that traces of coronavirus on a traffic-light button will be sufficient to cause infection – before pedestrians next wash their hands (!) – is very low. (Photo: Eawag, Andri Bryner)

February 4, 2021

February 4, 2021Surfaces which are frequently touched by many different people may be contaminated with the coronavirus, but the risk of infection via this route is low. However, regular collection of samples from door handles, buttons or keypads could be useful for monitoring the course of the pandemic.

Michael Plüss, technician at Eawag's department Surface Waters, installs a thermistor chain on Lake Stei (Canton Bern, at the Susten Pass). Through automatic series of measurements of water temperature at various depths over several years, the researchers are gaining a better understanding of the general development of high-alpine lakes and their seasonal fluctuations. (Photo: Nico Mölg, Eawag)

July 19, 2021

July 19, 2021A comprehensive inventory of Swiss glacial lakes shows how the lake landscape in the high mountains has changed since the end of the Little Ice Age.

Hidden at the bottom of Lake Maggiore, a rare cagnetta (Salaria fluviatilis). In order to better understand the diversity of the fish and their dynamics, researchers in the Projet Lac have begun to observe the fish directly in their environment. (Photo: Eawag, Ole Seehausen)

December 9, 2021

December 9, 2021In the "Projet Lac" research project, 35 lakes in the Alpine region were systematically examined for their fish populations for the first time: In Switzerland alone, 106 fish species were detected. With almost 20 percent of all known fish species in Europe, Switzerland is one of the hotspots for fish species diversity. The results are now the basis for measures for sustainable fishing and the protection of this still preserved diversity.

Sampling at a wastewater treatment plant (Eawag, Andri Bryner )

March 9, 2021

March 9, 2021Monitoring of wastewater samples has the potential to provide a further indicator – alongside the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths – to track the course of the pandemic. With support from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), an existing research project is now being expanded from two to six wastewater treatment plants.

June 24, 2021

June 24, 2021The OECD gives the green light to the fish cell line assay developed at Eawag. This paves the way for companies and authorities around the world to determine the environmental toxicology of chemicals without having to resort to animal testing.

The five most read articles in 2021

Place 1

Safe to cross: low risk of coronavirus infection from high-touch surfaces

Place 2

1,200 new glacial lakes discovered

Place 3

Fish inventory in 35 lakes completed

Place 4

Coronavirus wastewater monitoring expanded in Switzerland

Place 5

Eawag test with fish cells replaces animal experiments

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