PARENT SESSION3. Basic Aquatic Toxicity Testing Methods for the Educator and Layperson.
Friday, 15 November 2002
8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Room 250 A
Aquatic toxicology integrates scientific principles from many disciplines, including biology, hydrology, chemistry, and ecology. The utility of aquatic toxicology as a multi-disciplinary approach to science can foster a broad understanding of scientific principles and environmental awareness in America's high schools. A curriculum has been developed that provides the educator with hands-on teaching tools that are grounded in basic science and generate quality, real-world, aquatic toxicology data. Topics covered will include basic toxicology principles, watershed contamination sources, contaminant impacts on aquatic organisms, and a 48-hour toxicity testing procedure. The core of the course is oriented around a hands-on watershed pollution demonstration and the short-term aquatic toxicity test. This course will benefit teachers interested in integrating new tools for environmental assessment into their classroom, watershed coordinators interested in integrating an inexpensive toxicological approach in their watershed studies, and those interested in gaining a fundamental understanding of the basics of toxicity testing. Over the past four years, the University of California-Davis Aquatic Toxicology Outreach Program (ATOP) has used the curriculum to train approximately 1800 junior and senior high school students, nearly 125 teachers, and 25 undergraduate students to conduct classroom-based aquatic toxicity studies of their local watershed. This short course format has been well received at several North America SETAC and NorCal SETAC conferences, as well as a Society of Toxicology (SOT) conference.
Level of difficulty: Introductory
Attendance limit: 30
Instructors:
Stephen L. Clark, Pacific EcoRisk
Chris Princetich, University of California-Davis
Debra Denton, U.S. EPA